In a recent incident in Abuja, Stephen Abuwatseya, a Bolt driver, came forward to share his experience of being assaulted by a Nigerian lawmaker, Alexander Mascot Ikwechegh, on October 27. The altercation occurred in the Maitama area, where Stephen says the lawmaker physically attacked him and hurled insults. To document the situation, Stephen began recording the lawmaker’s behavior on his phone.

He said;

‘’I got a request from Bolt. I was already closing because I needed to resume work this morning at 8.30am. I got this request at Maitama because I felt it was a normal request and then she told me it is not a request and that I am picking something from a garden. I went there and parked and a girl came and without wasting time, brought the package and said it was a snail. The girl dropped it on the seat. 

On getting to the man’s house, I called him and said ‘Oga, I am at your gate.’ He said ‘Okay I should give it to the security man’’. The security man explained where the house address is and so I drove down to the house. On approaching, I called him and said ‘Oga, I am here’

He said I am not here and that if I was there, he would see me. He now said I should park beside one car. When I parked beside the car, I saw him but I didn’t know he was the one. I saw him seated few meters away from my car. I greeted twice and he didn’t respond and so I presumed he wasn’t the one I was supposed to deliver the thing to. Since he didn’t answer, the next thing is for me to call the person that ha package. I dialed the person’s number and his phone rang.

The next thing, he was like ‘’Are you stupid? Are you mad? are you a fool? Bring my stuff for me”. I was not happy at the way he spoke to me  because I was doing my professional job and I was like ‘Oga, this thing you are saying to me, it has not gotten to it.  Normally I am not supposed to bring this thing to you. You are supposed to come and pick it yourself’. That was the only thing that got him angry 

‘’You are asking me to come to your car  to pick my stuff? Are you okay? Do you know who you are talking to?” Stephen recounted the lawmaker saying to him

According to Stephen, after he finished recording, Ikwechegh called in police officers who promptly took him to the Maitama police station. Stephen says he was detained there until 3 a.m. the following morning. Additionally, the police reportedly impounded his vehicle, which added to his distress.

”He called some police officers, I don’t know the division they are assigned to. They bundled me to the station. I wanted to drive the car and they said no. Two sat beside me and I was in their middle. They drove me to the station. I had calls and they didn’t allow me to take my calls. 

They did not asked me what happened. They were asking people who were not there, the police officers who said I went to the honorable house and I was fighting with him. I kept mute.”

Stephen also mentioned that during his time at the station, Ikwechegh came by and continued to insult him, calling him degrading names. This incident highlights concerns about the treatment of drivers and citizens, as well as questions about accountability for public officials.