.........So earlier this morning, I boarded a tricircle (keke) headed to the office, the driver was even fast and I thanked God cause I was almost late, then all of a sudden we were stopped by a police officer who demanded his papers, reluctantly the young man in his early thirties looking sad sluggishly brought it out.
The police officer collected the papers and was now examining it, with kin eyes while the driver tried talking to him in undertones , far to my right was the police vehicle and other officers, then this officer took the driver side ways...
Talking inaudibly I knew what was going on, it's like the officer was trying get some thing from the driver, after a while he spoke out loud to the hearing of other officers
Oga him paper don expire ooo
(His papers were expired) then I knew there was trouble for this young guy trying to make a living, I don't know but it's almost like they (officers) we're just waiting for him, cause they allowed others tricircle to drive past us, while the driver tried pleading with the officer he just told him,
i don hand over your matter give commander
(I've handed over your case to the commander) And from the beginning when the he was stopped and interrogated (he, the driver) told the officer, are you doing this because you know me, and the officer replied so what if I know you,
The officer entered the front seat of the tricircle and asked the driver to move it, that they are going to the station, exactly there I knew what has transpired, at least they have caught their victim for the day, so they drove off, before then I saw one of the pessangers collecting the drivers number, I don't know what for but I perceive maybe to support him in some way
Although I was half way to my office and I was running behind time, I felt my feet rooted to the spot were I stood, I was so reluctant to move, I kept turning back with a tear in my eyes I felt so sorry for these young guy trying to catch the early birds to work before the day begins.
I taught of him trying to run around to earn a living for his family, his wife and his son at home preparing for school, promising him to send his school fees to his teacher later in the day, dropping the last he had so his wife could prepare dinner for all of them, there he was been taken by the officers who will take him to the station and probably extract Exhubitant sum from him, to even make matters worse he might be running this driving thing for someone who he makes return to daily, weekly or monthly depending on the agreement.
Few days ago I watched a scene were officers were hitting a tricircle driver to let go of the tricircle, they hit him so hard he was bleeding from the head, it was a broad day light combat as this driver tried to struggle with them as if his life depends on that tricircle, at last they overcame him and made away with it...
The reason why I'm writing this with so much emotion left in me is that, right now the economy is really not in a good mood, it's not a matter of wether you have money or not, the value of the naira in your hand has so dropped you spend so much to get very little, the price of things is growing at an alarming rate, so imaging how families of two, three or five trying to survive in this times can make me sick, and then here is someone trying to do something meaningful, then there is another who's there trying to jeopardize his effort and render him useless,
I know they're doing their job as an officer of the law, but if they're can be a bit considerate about these would really be helpful, and also to avoid all these unforeseen circumstances they drivers should also try as much as possible to renew their papers, always to stay out of their net...
