Today, I share with you a pathetic story of one Mr. Anozie Tochukwu, an indigene of Anambra state in the hands of criminals marauding as taskforce personnel in Onitsha Anambra State. Hear him:
“This is my ordeal in the hands of Agberos in Onitsha Anambra State on 17th December 2024. It was a very hurtful experience. So, having been out of job for some time with no known means of landing another job soon, I decided to take advantage of the yuletide season to make ends meet. I am a good driver with a valid driver’s license and I thought that if I could get a vehicle to convey people between Enugu and Onitsha in the Christmas season, I’d make some legitimate money for myself. With that thought, I went in search of a vehicle.
“Luckily, a friend gave me his Toyota Sienna van for the business. I was to return a certain percentage of my daily earnings to him. I went to the park at Holy Ghost to liaise with their management and they directed me on how to deal with their Onitsha counterparts. They also warned strictly that I should buy the Anambra daily ticket sold for N1000 at Amansea else the Agbero people will deal with me. It appeared to be a promising endeavor and I was hopeful and expectant.
“The next day, I got to the park and my vehicle was loaded with passengers. My share of the money was handed to me and we left for Onitsha. It was a smooth ride. At Amansea which is the first town you’ll enter in Anambra while coming from Enugu, I bought the daily ticket as I was instructed. We proceeded to Onitsha and it was still a smooth ride until we got to Upper Iweka which was the last bus stop.
“Just as I’d dropped off the last passengers in a filling station and was driving out, 4 dangerous looking men who wore taskforce vests came out of nowhere and flagged me down. Just as I was slowing down, one of them jumped into the vehicle and asked me to stop. They were all shouting on top of their voices, making at me as if they were gathering against a criminal. I was scared, but I tried to hide it. I managed to ask who they were and one of them asked ‘i naro afu uzo? (Don’t you see?)” in a very brutal tone.
“Then another asked for my daily ticket. I brought it out to show them. But before I could present it, he snatched it from me and chewed it. The others started yelling at me to show them my daily ticket. I was about challenging them, asking if they didn’t see their colleague chewing my ticket when the first slap landed on my cheek. Before I could do anything to defend myself, they dragged me out of the car and started raining blows and slaps on me. All the four of them.
“I was screaming, hoping that people would come to my rescue, but nobody came. They just stood and watched. By the time the Agberos were done beating me, I was already on my knees. By then, one of them, the one they called ‘Commander’ was with my car key. They said I violated the law of the state by not buying the daily ticket and my fine was N20,000. At that point, the fear of being beaten again didn’t let me mention that one of them chewed my ticket.
“I only started begging them with the swellings on my face and body. After buying petrol and the ticket, the amount I had left from the money I collected at the park was N9,500 and I started begging them to take N5,000. They refused. They said I should enter the vehicle so they’d take me to their office. I knew that if they could do such to me while people watched, it would be the worst move following them anywhere. They’d probably do worse.
“And before I forget, while they were beating me, another team of taskforce called Anambra Anti Touts Unit (aka ndi aka odo) drove by and saw what was happening. They parked and ‘Commander’ met and discussed with them briefly. Then they drove off.
“So, I continued begging until they agreed to take N8,000. I gave them the money, collected the car key and drove down to the park. I told the people at the park what I went through and they were not surprised at all. They rather confirmed that what I experienced was normal, especially as I was a new person on that route. They also said I should expect more of such. I became terrified.
“I waited until it was my turn to be loaded. They was around 4:30 pm and before my vehicle got full, it was already some minutes before 6 pm. While they loaded the vehicle, I was enveloped in the fear of what could happen on my way back. Eventually, the vehicle got full and we left for Enugu. If you know Upper Iweka, you’ll know that one must go under the flyover, climb it before coming down from the other end to join the lane that leads to Enugu. You’ll also know that there’s always heavy traffic jam on the lane that leads to Enugu.
“So, while we were in the traffic jam waiting for it to move, two men in different taskforce uniforms approached the vehicle from both sides. I quickly pressed the central lock button and wound the glasses leaving just a little space for ventilation. They knocked on the glasses for some time and I ignored them. They wanted to open the doors forcefully, but couldn’t. The traffic jam was moving slowly and I prayed it’d move faster.
“Just then, another man in the same uniform came with a wheel clamping device. Before I could say jack, the wheel of the vehicle had been clamped. This was happening just before a police check point and the policemen were seeing what was happening. With the wheel clamped, I had no other play than to wind down the glass. They insisted I must come down and after a little delay, I got down.
“I asked what they wanted and they said I should bring the paper that authorized me to use a vehicle that has a private plate number for commercial use. I knew they were there illegally. It was almost 7.pm and no government office works at such time except people on essential duties. I told them that such document doesn’t exist and even if it does, it was not their duty to check. I was scared but I didn’t show it. I believed that with the presence of the police there, they’ll not be violent.
“But I was wrong. One of them, the one that acted as their leader asked ‘o dika onwu na agu gi? (It’s like you want to die)?’ A thought occurred to me to meet the policemen and give them some money so they’ll rescue me from the Agberos. Just as I moved to go to the policemen, I felt a very hard hit on my shoulder which sent a paralyzing wave of pain through my body. I screamed out loudly and involuntarily squatted down holding my shoulder.
“My head instantly started aching, my eyes became hot and I instantly found it difficult to breathe. I became oblivious of my environment and was only called back to reality by the voice of one of the Agberos telling the other not to hit me again. The one that hit me with wood wanted to hit me again and his colleague was stopping him. The truth is that if he’d hit me like that again, I may not have survived it. He was still shouting and asking them to let him teach me a lesson.
“It took a long while before I was able to contain the pain and raise my head. By then, my eyes were already misty and some of my passengers had gathered around me. The only thing I could say was ‘kedu ihe m mee gi iji choo igbu m? (What did I do to you that you want to kill me?)’ I said that while fighting back tears. He didn’t mind me, he was still struggling to be let free so he’d hit me again. The one who acted as their leader took me aside and asked me to bring N5,000 so they’d let me go. I gave him the money without saying a word.
“I drove all the way to Enugu in silence and with tears gathering in my eyes at intervals. I also struggled to use my left hand while I drove because of the pain. I’m still managing it until now. I got to Enugu a few minutes before 10 pm, dropped the last of the passengers at the park and drove straight to my friend’s place. There, I parked the vehicle, thanked him and told him I cannot continue with the work. I couldn’t tell him what I went through immediately, but I later did.
“I’m still dealing with that pain and the somewhat fracture I sustained in the hands of those criminals. I’ve spent money to see I am fine and I’m still spending. And my only crime was going to Anambra State which is actually my state of origin to hustle. Each time I remember my experience, I cannot help but imagine the number of people who must have gone through the same ugly experience or even worse just because they wanted to make a decent living. And that makes me ask these questions”, the man stated.
But come to think of it, is the Anambra State government not aware of these dehumanizing, life threatening and criminal activities of these devils? Can they not do anything to curb the pain and menace these criminals inflict on the innocent masses or are they actually in support of what these criminals do?
While he nurses this pain, tend to his wound and hope for better days to come, we hope to find answers to these disturbing question and others bedeviling Anambra and indeed, other states in the South East.