‘Policemen’ seize PVCs from owners

A swoop on the Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs)
has begun in Lagos, investigations revealed at the
weekend.
This has created another dimension to the battle
over the PVC use for the elections slated for
March 28 and April 11.
While the Independent National Electoral
Commission (INEC) insists on its use, the ruling
Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is opposed to it.
This is in spite of the test run at the weekend, of
the card reader that will enhance the PVC use.
A group of people usually dressed in police
uniform or sometimes in vests with police
inscription, have been found to be collecting
PVCs from some people ostensibly with the
intention to disenfranchise them.
The people mostly at the receiving end are
commercial motorcyclists aka okada riders, mostly
of northern extraction, in the commercial capital.
What these PVCs collectors do is to pose as
policemen enforcing the ban on okada on some
major streets. After collecting the motorcycle
from the rider by force, they then ask him to bail
himself by submitting his PVC, failing which his
motorcycle, which is his means of livelihood,
would not be released.
As soon as he releases his PVC, his motorcycle is
released to him and his PVC taken away.
Yesterday, Mohammed Suleiman, one of the few
victims who agreed to speak on record – Others
are afraid to be quoted for fear of reprisal – said
he was arrested at Aguda, Surulere.
According to him, the men posed as plain clothes
policemen and that those arrested were mostly
Hausa riders.
He said: “I’m a victim. I was arrested in Aguda
area. They told me to bring my PVC before they
would release my ‘machine’ to me. When I gave
them my PVC, they collected it and refused to
return it but they gave me back my motorcycle.
“They did not take me to the station but some of
our people were taken to the station before the
bikes were released to them on collection of their
PVCs.” He however did not mention the police
station.
He added: “I think they are aware that many of us
carry our PVCs on us and where one cannot
produce it on the spot, they ask the person to go
and bring it to enable him get back his
motorcycle. They arrest us for flimsy reasons –
like over speeding or that we ply roads where
motorcycles are not permitted.”
An Arewa youth leader in Lagos, Kabiru
Ahmed,told our reporter on telephone last night:
“We have received such complaints from some of
our members and we are investigating. Anybody
found culpable in this will not be spared. We will
defend the Hausa community in Lagos. We will
stand for our people. No policeman can intimidate
us.
“Collection of PVCs to release okada is a violation
of their fundamental human right. We will not
allow our people to be intimidated. They will
perform their civic responsibility.”
Lagos Police Spokesman Kenneth Nwosu, a
Deputy Superintendent (DSP), denied the
involvement of his men in the nefarious act.
“There is no iota of truth in such claim of our
men’s involvement in that kind of act. What is
our business with PVC? What will the police do
with the PVC?” he queried.

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