In a developing case involving allegations of abuse of power, Bolt driver, Stephen Abuwatseya has recounted an incident in which he was allegedly assaulted by Alex Ikwechegh, a member of the House of Representatives from Abia State, and subsequently detained for hours by police officers summoned by the lawmaker.
Abuwatseya narrated his experience to social media commentator Otse Martins, known as VeryDarkMan, explaining that following an altercation, Ikwechegh called police officers to the scene, who "bundled" him to a nearby station.
"After the video, he called some police officers. I don’t know the division they are assigned to; they bundled me to the station," said Abuwatseya. "They kept me behind the counter for over two hours," he added, mentioning that he recorded the incident for his safety.
According to Abuwatseya, he was escorted to the station by three officers who prohibited him from answering calls. "I wanted to drive the car, but they said no; I was in between three policemen, and they drove me to their station. I had calls, but they didn’t allow me to take them," he stated.
Upon arriving at the station, he claimed, officers did not initially ask him for his account of events. "When we got to the police station, they didn’t ask me what happened but instead, they were asking people who didn’t witness what happened," he said. An officer reportedly questioned why he "was fighting the honourable," to which Abuwatseya chose not to respond.
Abuwatseya further described how he was detained in the police station, remaining there until approximately 3:00 a.m., though his vehicle remained impounded. "The honourable came to the station and started calling me names. I left the station at 3:00 a.m., and my car is still at the station," he recounted.
In response to the incident, Abuwatseya has filed a formal petition with the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, against Ikwechegh, accusing the lawmaker of assault, abuse of power, and making life-threatening statements.
A video circulating on social media shows Ikwechegh verbally and physically confronting Abuwatseya after the driver requested the lawmaker retrieve a food delivery, which Abuwatseya had been hired to deliver.
In the video, the lawmaker, representing Aba North and South Federal Constituency, insisted the driver’s request was "disrespectful" and issued threats to make the driver “disappear” without consequences.
When Abuwatseya asked for his delivery fee, Ikwechegh reportedly slapped him and questioned whether the driver knew whom he was addressing.
The petition, dated October 28, was filed through Abuwatseya’s lawyer, Marvin Omorogbe of the Deji Adeyanju & Partners law firm. It accuses Ikwechegh of grievous assault, attempted murder, and threat to life, highlighting that the driver’s decision to remain outside the premises aligns with Bolt’s operational guidelines.
The petition reads in part: "Our client is a Bolt driver and a hard-working Nigerian citizen. It is our client’s information that at about 9 p.m. on October 27, 2024, he was contracted by a vendor to deliver some food to Hon. Alex Mascot Ikwechegh at his residence in Maitama, Abuja."
The letter continues, "Our client politely refused the request [to enter the premises] and urged Hon. Ikwechegh to send someone to pick up the food outside the gate, as is customary with delivery services."
The document also alleges that, following Abuwatseya's refusal, Ikwechegh physically assaulted him, threatened to make him disappear, and challenged him to call the Inspector-General of Police, stating that nothing would happen as a result.
“Following the assault, Hon. Ikwechegh caused our client to be detained at the Maitama Police Station and his car seized by the Investigative Police Officer," the petition added, calling for an investigation and potential prosecution.
The petition has however requested a thorough investigation, expressing concern over Ikwechegh’s conduct given his legislative responsibilities.
"At a time when several Nigerians are increasingly being subjected to enforced disappearance by state and non-state actors, we particularly find Hon. Ikwechegh’s threat to cause our client’s disappearance as a national issue that deserves immediate investigation," the petition states.
