Canadian academic/politician gives Nig army officer N1,000 for ‘violating the law’. See details

Efio-Ita Nyok|28 March 2018 

Yesterday, Cross River-born Dr. Obasesam Okoi, a Canadian academic and politician narrated his unpalatable ordeal in Abuja, Nigeria's capital city with the Nigerian military as he headed for the airport to board a flight : his crime was that, as a passenger, he violated the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria for taking phone calls at military check points. This is outrageous, right!? Hmmm! What follows is an excerpt of his story from his social media account : 

'I wasn't driving, I had a driver attached to me who understands the city. He didn't over speed. And even if he did, it wasn't the duty of the soldiers to become the judge and jury. Their job is to protect citizens against internal and external threats. But the military man pointed a gun at me, claiming I had violated the law for talking on the phone even though I wasn't the driver. 

'I have never been more disappointed in my country. He demanded money from me. I was already running late for my flight. To avoid missing my flight I gave him N1,000. Am still wondering which law in the Nigerian constitution prohibits an individual from making a call on his way to the airport if he or she is not on the driver seat. 

'That armed soldiers are stationed on federal highways to harass travelers and extort monies from them speaks to the state of insecurity in Nigeria. 

'So, T.Y. Danjuma was right. There is no security in Nigeria and the military can't protect us. The military is, in fact, a real threat to national security. There could be no better option than self defense.