MILITARY BRUTALITY: MY EXPERIENCE

My friends and I went to Jo's house this evening to power our devices. We haven't had light in a while and all my devices - torch, phone, power bank and laptop - were dead. We also used the opportunity to make jokes and talk extensively about the current Nigerian state and the growing autocracy. Towards 11pm, we pack up our devices and head back to our houses. It's a 5 - 7 minutes walk from our street to Jo's. Ekemini and Ejike live on my street, 2 or 3 houses from mine. Nonso's turn was early. He says his goodbye and continues his journey home.

We get to the t-juction. I want to continue straight through my familiar route but the guys wanted us to go through the shortcut that leads to the front of my gate. We hadn't even made the decision on which route to take when we were ambushed by an army van. We were immediately surrounded by about 7 army officers who had jumped out of the van. Next thing, 'where are you going?' 'Sit down on the ground. I said sit down'. We sat. It was drizzling.

'What are you doing out by this time?' We replied that we went to charge. They didn't seem to be paying attention. A voice from somewhere said, 'Serve them.' I was stunned when they brought out whips, about 6 of them. The flogging started. Ejike. Ekemini. Myself. I was surprised they flogged me being a lady and all but then, gender equality yeah? I got about 2 lashes. Painful lashes. I tried to shield myself with my hands and my school bag carrying my devices. After the flogging, the questioning started. 

'What do you do for a living and where do you work?' Ejike replies, 'I'm a physiotherapist. I work at UCTH.' Ekemini, 'I am a pharmacist. I work with fhi360, the NGO managing HIV patients in the state'. They further ask Ekemini, 'Are you a corper?' He replies in the negative. They ask me. I tell them that 'I am a pharmacist working with Health Technology.' 

They continue. 'Open your bags. Let's see your bags.' We open the bags. They see the chargers, the torches, the phones, the extensions, the laptop. Their tone had softened by then. 'You people should know that there's a curfew. What if you had met robbers and they took all these items from you?' We reply that our house is on the street. We were simply walking home. The leader of the team sends us off with, 'Sorry you hear. Don't be angry. Sorry'. We had gotten up already, carried out bags and were already walking home.

Five minutes later, we were still in shock. We were telling each other sorry. Ekemini had obvious injuries on his face. They were teasingly telling me not to cry when I get inside my house. I know they were also trying to mask their trauma. I go inside. Take a look at myself in the mirror. Very visible on my right arm was a sharp and proud whip mark, a bruise and an open bleeding wound. There was a whip mark on my back too.

I take pictures, sit for a while to absorb the gravity of what happened, reach out to dear friends then enter the bathroom to wash it all off. In the bathroom, the cold, running water helped me think.

The initial plan was to sleep over at Jo's but I couldn't resist the urge to retire in my bed so I decided to go back home. Maybe, if I had stayed back, I would have avoided the whipping. 

On our way back, at some point, I realized I forgot my glasses at Jo's. I wanted to turn back but I was convinced that Jo can just carry it along with her for mass where I'll collect it so I just continued walking. Maybe...

When we were asked to sit, I could have told them I was a corper. But I didn't because I didn't have my I.D with me and I wasn't thinking very clearly. Maybe...

Many maybes.

Doesn't take away the fact that in sane countries, the military do not get to flog civilians without due diligence. And even after due diligence, they still don't flog. If you break a law, you get fined or community service or something still noble, something that doesn't insult your dignity. 

Nice one Nigeria. Nice one.

Here are the picture of my friends and I after surviving the military brutality...