Another Police Brutality, Chaos at Maraba: Passengers Recount Police Assault on Valgee Driver [VIDEO]

 

A routine morning in Abuja turned into a terrifying experience for passengers of a Valgee Transportation vehicle en route to Jos. As the vehicle approached the outskirts of the city, the journey took a dark turn near the Maraba axis, where an unexpected roadblock had caused a backup of vehicles. The scene quickly devolved from confusion to chaos, shaking all who witnessed what followed.

Several cars ahead had begun to turn back, taking illegal one-way routes to escape the blockage. In a bid to avoid getting stuck and following the actions of other drivers, the Valgee driver opted to turn as well. The decision seemed harmless, even reasonable, considering the gridlock and lack of clear communication about the cause of the obstruction. But just as the vehicle was maneuvering, police officers stopped them abruptly in the middle of the road.

Passengers recall how the driver tried to explain his intentions — that he wasn’t trying to flout the law but only attempting to park the vehicle safely. Before he could even complete the maneuver, he was surrounded. Without allowing him to step out or respond properly, the officers began to hit him. The escalation was immediate and violent, leaving those in the vehicle stunned and frightened.

The shock intensified when one officer reached into the vehicle and tried to unbuckle the seat belt of a female passenger in the front seat. Witnesses said she remained calm and attempted to explain that she was merely a passenger and had no control over the driver’s decisions. Her effort to de-escalate the situation was ignored. One officer even raised his hand to slap her.

Inside the vehicle, panic began to rise. A pregnant woman seated further back tried pleading with the officers, informing them of her condition. Rather than being met with compassion, she was told bluntly that her pregnancy didn’t matter. The officers continued shouting and ordered everyone to get down from the vehicle.

The passengers, now thoroughly rattled, watched helplessly as the driver was dragged out of the vehicle by force. He hadn’t resisted, hadn’t even fully exited the car when the officers descended on him. No reasons were offered. No charges were announced. There was no clear indication of what law had been broken — only the raw and unjustifiable use of force.

Social media quickly lit up with real-time updates from one of the passengers, Lois Freeman, who shared a detailed thread on X (formerly Twitter). Her account painted a picture of fear, confusion, and blatant abuse of power. Within hours, hashtags like #EndPoliceBrutality and #JusticeForValgeeDriver began trending as users from across the country and beyond expressed outrage.

This incident echoes a disturbing pattern. Though Nigeria continues to push for reforms in policing, especially after the 2020 #EndSARS movement that brought national and international scrutiny to police conduct, cases like this show how deeply ingrained such issues remain. That a pregnant woman could be shouted down and a peaceful passenger threatened with physical violence only underscores how systemic the problem is.

As of the time of writing, no official statement has been made by the Nigerian Police Force concerning the actions of their officers in Maraba that morning. Civil society organizations have called for an independent investigation. Groups advocating for human rights have also issued statements condemning the officers’ behavior and calling for accountability.

Passengers have since demanded not just justice for the driver, who remains in police custody without public explanation, but also for an assurance that those responsible for the assault will face consequences. The concern extends beyond this single event. There’s growing fear that if incidents like this go unchecked, they’ll become the norm — a reality in which everyday citizens must fear the very people entrusted to protect them.

For the transport company, Valgee, the incident poses a serious challenge. Public confidence in their safety standards is being questioned, not because of the company’s fault, but due to the unpredictability of law enforcement behavior on Nigerian roads. If drivers can be beaten and detained for simply attempting to navigate a blocked road, what does that mean for the countless others who make a living behind the wheel?

One of the passengers commented afterward that it felt like being in a battlefield — not a road. She described the incident as “dehumanizing,” noting that the absence of any recourse or apology afterward was perhaps the most chilling part. When authority is exercised without restraint and without oversight, it leaves behind more than physical injuries; it creates a lasting scar on public morale.

The Abuja-Jos corridor, like many major Nigerian routes, is a vital link for commerce, travel, and personal connection. An incident like this doesn’t just affect one driver or one group of passengers. It sends a ripple through communities, raising fresh anxieties about how safe it is to move around within the country.

Nigerians have long demanded reforms in the police force, and while some steps have been taken, events like this reveal how fragile and incomplete those reforms remain. Until there’s a system in place where officers are not only trained but held accountable for their actions, the cycle of abuse is unlikely to end.

The morning may have started like any other, but for those in the Valgee vehicle, it became a lesson in how quickly normal can collapse into nightmare. A journey that was supposed to span a few hours turned into a national conversation about fear, power, and the continued urgency of justice. For now, passengers and the public await answers — and more importantly, action. 

@PoliceNG @PLACNG @NhrcNigeria @thatverydarkman @FctPolice @NGRSenate @instablog9ja @yabaleftonline @PulseNigeria247 @freezle_ @its_yugee @nenkinan_deshi @4wardwego pic.twitter.com/zKrJkKY69r

— Lois Freeman (@loiseyfreeman) May 19, 2025