Stephen Abuwatseye, the Bolt driver who was reportedly assaulted by lawmaker Hon. Alex Ikwechegh, has disclosed that he was forcibly taken to the police station by Nigerian police officers. Abuwatseye claimed that after a video of the incident went viral, the lawmaker summoned police officers, who then compelled him into a vehicle and transported him to the station.
In a video shared online, Abuwatseye recounted his experience to social media influencer Martins Otse, known as VeryDarkMan. He stated that the police distorted the situation, alleging he had engaged in a fight with the lawmaker.
He explained, “After the video circulated, he contacted some police officers. I don’t know which division they were from, but they forcibly put me in their vehicle. I wanted to drive my own car, but they refused. Two officers sat next to me while I was in the middle as they took me to the station.
“When we arrived, they ordered me to go inside. I had incoming calls, but they wouldn’t allow me to answer. They inquired about what had happened, but instead of questioning me directly, they spoke to individuals who weren’t present. The police quickly asserted that I had gone to the honorable house and fought with him.
“At that time, I hadn’t shown anyone the video I recorded. Even the security personnel who came as a witness hadn’t seen the video yet. They directed us to the crime unit. Once there, an officer asked what transpired. Initially, I didn’t explain, but he insisted he needed to hear both sides.
“When they claimed I had fought him, the officer suggested they call the lawmaker. His security guard, who was present as a witness, called the honorable, and they passed the phone to the Investigating Police Officer (IPO) in charge of the case. The IPO spoke with him and then left to investigate at the honorable’s house. I was left at the station while he went to the honorable’s residence. I waited in the van for over two hours, though I wasn’t officially detained. When he returned, he questioned why I had recorded the incident.
“I told him that if there’s a law against recording someone who threatens me, then I’m not aware of it. I explained that the honorable’s behavior was becoming a threat, prompting me to gather evidence. At that moment, the honorable was not at the station with me.
“They provided me with a form to document my statement regarding what had occurred. While I was writing, the honorable arrived. Upon entering, he began shouting and calling me names. I remained silent as he labeled me a poor man and accused me of being arrogant.
“I left the station shortly after 3 PM. My car is still at the station, and the honorable was not detained.”
Abuwatseye also detailed the events leading up to the video recording, stating, “Before the video, I received a request from Bolt. I was about to finish for the night because I needed to work the next morning. Around 9:10 PM, I received a request to go to Maitama, which I thought was routine.
The passenger informed me that I was picking up something at a garden. Although I didn’t know the name, she described the location to me. When I arrived, a girl handed me a package, claiming it contained snails.
“When I reached the man’s house, I called him, saying, ‘Oga, I’m at your gate.’ He instructed me to give the package to the security man, who then guided me to the house. As I approached, I called the man again. He said he wasn’t there, claiming that if I were present, he would see me. I parked beside a Camry and noticed him sitting a few meters away from my car. I greeted him, but he didn’t respond. I greeted him again, saying, ‘Good evening, sir,’ but still received no reply, leading me to believe he wasn’t the person I was supposed to deliver the package to.
“Since he didn’t respond, I decided to call the person who ordered the package. When I dialed the number, it rang, and the next thing I heard was, ‘Are you stupid? Bring my stuff to me.’ I was upset by his tone because I was being professional. I politely informed him that I wasn’t supposed to deliver the package to him; he was supposed to come and collect it himself. That was what angered him.”
