A motorist who allegedly abducted a road safety official after being stopped for overloading has been remanded in custody by a magistrate in Nasarawa State. Suleiman Abubakar was sent to the Nasarawa Correctional Centre for seven days following an appearance in court on Thursday. The incident began when Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) officials flagged down Mr Abubakar’s Toyota Previa on the Nasarawa–Keffi route.
‘Shocking escalation’
According to the FRSC, the driver was initially stopped for overloading and was subsequently found to be driving without a valid licence.
The Corps alleges that Mr. Abubakar attempted to bribe the operatives to avoid a penalty. When the bribe was rejected, the situation escalated.
The FRSC stated that the suspect “forcefully abducted” the patrol team leader in an attempt to flee the scene. The officer reportedly resisted the abduction and managed to “neutralise the situation” after the vehicle had travelled roughly 3km (1.8 miles) from the initial checkpoint.
Zero tolerance
Mr. Abubakar pleaded guilty to five charges during his arraignment. The presiding magistrate ordered him to be held in custody pending a final judgement, which is expected on 23 April. The Corps Marshal, Shehu Mohammed, welcomed the court’s decision, describing it as a victory for the rule of law.”The Corps is steadily winning the fight against assault on its operatives,” Mr. Mohammed said, adding that acts of aggression against road officials would be met with “decisive” prosecution.
The vehicle involved has been impounded by the authorities.
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