The Officers of the Directorate of Road Traffic Service, Wuye Command yesterday assaulted a legal practitioner, Mr. Kehinde Timileyin, Esq. on his way to work.
A statement by his colleagues made available to BarristerNG on Wednesday reads below;
Dear colleagues,
Today, February 14th, 2024, Mr. Kehinde Timileyin, Esq., a colleague of ours, was commuting to work in a commercial vehicle along Arab Junction, close to Berger Bridge, Abuja. Officers of the Directorate of Road Traffic Service intercepted the vehicle and proceeded to arrest the driver.
During the encounter, an officer attached to the Wuye command of the Directorate, without provocation or just cause, assaulted Mr. Kehinde Timileyin. He subjected Mr. Timileyin to physical violence, mercilessly beating him and inflicting injuries, including punching him in the mouth.
Despite Mr. Timileyin identifying himself as a lawyer, the officer displayed flagrant disregard for his profession and person, refusing to exercise restraint and even threatening to damage Mr. Timileyin’s property, specifically his phone.
Upon further investigation, it was revealed that the Officer did not deny the allegations when confronted at the Wuye Area Command office of the Directorate. He showed no remorse for his actions, indicating a systemic issue within the Directorate regarding the treatment of civilians and legal professionals.
As colleagues of Mr. Timileyin, we have submitted petitions to relevant agencies, including the Nigerian Bar Association, for swift intervention to ensure that justice is served. While we are confident that the petitions will be given expeditious treatment, we would not hesitate to seek legal redress in court as events unfold.