The vicinity of the popular Oando filling station located at Tungamaje, along Zuba-Gwagwalada Expressway, is gradually becoming a cause for concern, as constant acts of violence there has become very worrisome.
Despite the fuel scarcity being experienced by Nigerians at the moment, it is rather absurd that the filling station is not in the news over anything related with fuel issues.
It has always seemed like a fairy tale to me each time I hear that people are killed innocently for offences they never committed until Sunday, November 6, 2015 when I went to patronize a suya seller who plies his trade in front of the filling station.
I was attacked by a gang of five men, who were visibly drunk, for no just cause. Before I could say anything, I was assaulted. What saved the situation was when I spoke in the local dialect of these criminal attackers. They became perplexed and put forward a flimsy excuse that I was mistaken to be a member of a group they had earlier clashed with, and however confessed that if I hadn’t spoken in their dialect, they would have killed me.
When I pondered over this situation, it beats my imagination how innocent Nigerians are easily killed on a daily basis for no reasons at all. You could imagine what would have happened to me if I was unable to communicate in that dialect.
I was able to clearly identify one of the attackers. Some of his colleagues testified to his character as a result of his numerous escapades.
I therefore want to use this medium to call on security agents, especially the Nigeria Police, to be vigilant along this particular axis because if an innocent citizen like me could be manhandled even when I committed no offence, what would happen to motorists and other people who queue up at the filling in search of fuel, especially at this yuletide period.
Paul Obaje wrote from Abuja
