Abuja Man Alleges Police Brutality After Overtaking Plainclothes Officer: “He Shot at My Car Three Times, Then They Beat Me”
A man identified as Godwin Omeje has recounted a harrowing experience of alleged police brutality in Abuja, claiming he was shot at and then beaten by plainclothes officers for simply overtaking a vehicle near a faulty traffic light.
Speaking with SaharaReporters on Sunday, Godwin described how the incident unfolded around 5:00 PM at the Taj Bank junction near the Federal Secretariat. The traffic lights were not functioning, and there were no officers directing vehicles, leaving drivers to manage the confusion.
Godwin said he carefully overtook a private car in the congested area, unaware that the driver was a plainclothes police officer.
“The vehicle in front moved, so I went ahead too. Then the driver rolled down and asked why I was driving like that. I asked, ‘What did I do?’ and he claimed I overtook him,” Godwin recounted.
Although there was no accident or contact between the cars, the confrontation quickly escalated. The man demanded Godwin step out of his vehicle, but sensing danger, Godwin drove away and changed direction to avoid further conflict.
“As I made a U-turn, I heard gunshots—three of them. The bullets hit my car,” he said.
He was eventually forced to stop and was allegedly pulled out of his vehicle and assaulted by the plainclothes officer and at least three others. The beating continued even after he was taken to a police post behind the Ministry of Education in Phase Two.
“They dragged me into a large room and beat me with a big stick. The officer who started the assault was joined by others who punched and kicked me. He left, came back, and beat me again,” Godwin said.
Later, he was taken to the Divisional Police Officer (DPO), hoping for some reprieve. Instead, the abuse continued.
“When I explained what happened, the DPO picked up a stick and started beating me too. I could barely see or move,” he said.
Godwin remained in the station until nightfall and was then thrown into a cell. He revealed that his wife and brother began searching for him when he failed to return to the hospital where his father was admitted.
“They eventually traced me to the station at the Federal Secretariat. When they mentioned my name, the officers confirmed I was in custody. My brother pleaded to take me to the hospital, but they refused, saying I couldn’t be released until the ‘officer in charge’ returned the next day,” he said.
His brother eventually contacted a former commissioner who pressured the DPO into releasing him. However, Godwin says his phone and car are still being held by the police.
“I want my phone and car back. I also want compensation for everything I went through. The DPO also beat me. The government must investigate this,” Godwin demanded. “If the plainclothes officer can't be identified, the DPO must be held accountable—he is responsible for those under him.”
Repeated efforts to reach FCT Police spokesperson Josephine Adeh for comment were unsuccessful.
This case adds to a growing list of reported police abuses in Nigeria. Despite repeated promises of reform, victims and rights groups continue to report widespread misconduct and brutality.
In a related report, SaharaReporters previously documented numerous allegations against the late CSP Ekene Nwosu, accused of framing innocent people and illegally profiting from their imprisonment in Akwa Ibom State. Victims claimed he sold confiscated vehicles while their owners languished in detention on fabricated charges.
As public frustration mounts, calls for accountability within the Nigerian Police Force are growing louder.
Abuja Man Alleges Police Brutality After Overtaking Plainclothes Officer: “He Shot at My Car Three Times, Then They Beat Me”
A man identified as Godwin Omeje has recounted a harrowing experience of alleged police brutality in Abuja, claiming he was shot at and then beaten by plainclothes officers for simply overtaking a vehicle near a faulty traffic light.
Speaking with SaharaReporters on Sunday, Godwin described how the incident unfolded around 5:00 PM at the Taj Bank junction near the Federal Secretariat. The traffic lights were not functioning, and there were no officers directing vehicles, leaving drivers to manage the confusion.
Godwin said he carefully overtook a private car in the congested area, unaware that the driver was a plainclothes police officer.
“The vehicle in front moved, so I went ahead too. Then the driver rolled down and asked why I was driving like that. I asked, ‘What did I do?’ and he claimed I overtook him,” Godwin recounted.
Although there was no accident or contact between the cars, the confrontation quickly escalated. The man demanded Godwin step out of his vehicle, but sensing danger, Godwin drove away and changed direction to avoid further conflict.
“As I made a U-turn, I heard gunshots—three of them. The bullets hit my car,” he said.
He was eventually forced to stop and was allegedly pulled out of his vehicle and assaulted by the plainclothes officer and at least three others. The beating continued even after he was taken to a police post behind the Ministry of Education in Phase Two.
“They dragged me into a large room and beat me with a big stick. The officer who started the assault was joined by others who punched and kicked me. He left, came back, and beat me again,” Godwin said.
Later, he was taken to the Divisional Police Officer (DPO), hoping for some reprieve. Instead, the abuse continued.
“When I explained what happened, the DPO picked up a stick and started beating me too. I could barely see or move,” he said.
Godwin remained in the station until nightfall and was then thrown into a cell. He revealed that his wife and brother began searching for him when he failed to return to the hospital where his father was admitted.
“They eventually traced me to the station at the Federal Secretariat. When they mentioned my name, the officers confirmed I was in custody. My brother pleaded to take me to the hospital, but they refused, saying I couldn’t be released until the ‘officer in charge’ returned the next day,” he said.
His brother eventually contacted a former commissioner who pressured the DPO into releasing him. However, Godwin says his phone and car are still being held by the police.
“I want my phone and car back. I also want compensation for everything I went through. The DPO also beat me. The government must investigate this,” Godwin demanded. “If the plainclothes officer can't be identified, the DPO must be held accountable—he is responsible for those under him.”
Repeated efforts to reach FCT Police spokesperson Josephine Adeh for comment were unsuccessful.
This case adds to a growing list of reported police abuses in Nigeria. Despite repeated promises of reform, victims and rights groups continue to report widespread misconduct and brutality.
In a related report, SaharaReporters previously documented numerous allegations against the late CSP Ekene Nwosu, accused of framing innocent people and illegally profiting from their imprisonment in Akwa Ibom State. Victims claimed he sold confiscated vehicles while their owners languished in detention on fabricated charges.
As public frustration mounts, calls for accountability within the Nigerian Police Force are growing louder.
