Lucky Obukohwo Reporting
The Edo State Police command, said its operatives have nabbed four personnel of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) attached to one of the popular hotels in Benin City for allegedly beaten and inflicting an injury on a Bolt driver, Mr. Henry Osarodion Osemwenkhia that eventually led to his death a day later.
The Public Relations Officer of the command, SP Moses Yamu disclosed this while speaking on the circumstances that led to the death of the bolt driver in Benin City.
He said that Mr. Osemwenkhia, on the 4th of February, 2025, reported a case of assault on his person by men of the NSCDC after dropping off his passenger.
SP Yamu said, upon Osemwenkhia’s account, he was given a recommendation to go for a medical check-ups but surprisingly on the next day, he was said to have died.
“The command is aware of the incident allegedly caused by the NSCDC officers. One Henry Osarodion Osemwenkhia who is now deceased reported on the 4 of February at the New Etete police station that he took some passengers to De Kaso hotel along Limit road Benin and in the process, he had an altercation with a young man and some of his friends and some Civil Defence officers and that according to him that at a point, they even punctured his tyres.
“So, on reporting that matter, they quickly gave him a medical form where he should go for treatment but unfortunately, on the 5th which was yesterday, we received a distress call that he finally died in his house while awaiting the test results of his scan.
“So, as I am speaking with you, his corpse have been deposited at the hospital.
“We have four of the Civil Defence officers in our custody and the Commissioner of Police has directed an immediate investigations into the matter to unravel the circumstances that have led to the death of the young man”, Yamu said.
On the part of the NSCDC Public Relations Officer, Edo State command, Efosa Ogbebor, he said their men actually went there to separate a fight and were never involved in a fight with anybody.
He said his men were stationed at the said hotel to provide security for the facility.
Ogbebor also denied the allegation that his personnel were arrested by the police rather, they only went there to report themselves.
Earlier, the Bolt drivers in the state h staged a peaceful protest, alleging the killing of their colleague, Mr. Henry Osarodion Osemwenkhia, by operatives of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) attached to one of the popular hotels in Benin City.
The protesters who converge on the premises of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, Edo State council, displayed placards that read thus: “Enough of the brutality by security agencies, enough is enough , Bolt drivers are not slaves, justice for Bolt drivers, we need justice for the death of Bolt driver, Henry”
Speaking for the group, Festus Nwanbuzo, said that they are demanding for Justice on behalf of their colleague who was allegedly killed by the officers and men of the NSCDC.
He said the deceased was an easy going man who can never hurt a fly.