Joy Anyim
A Construction Company, ARTSCAPES Constructioneering Works Ltd, has accused an Army Captain, identified as Jerry Asemota of intimidation, threat to life and extortion.
According to the Company, their ordeal started on November 4, after Asemota, who was driving in a red Toyota Highlander Jeep, struck the delivery vehicle on the rear left side on Third Mainland Bridge around 5:15pm.
The Nigerian Xpress gathered that the truck driver was negotiating a diversion on the bridge when the incident happened. Unfortunately, the Captain’s vehicle sustained a dent on the front right fender and a crack in the right side head lamp.
Though alleged to be at fault, Asemota, chose to accuse the truck driver of being responsible for the incident, while threatening to shoot the driver with his gun.
He reportedly impounded the truck, and swiftly moved it to Ikeja cantonment.
In a petition signed by the company’s Senior Finance Executive, Femi Kintosu, it was alleged that Asemota had demanded the Company fixed the fender, bumper and headlight of his vehicle.
It was also learnt that attempts by ARTSCAPES Constructioneering Works Ltd, to submit the petition which was addressed to the General Officer Commanding, 81 Division, Major – General Godwin Umelo, to the Army Division has proved abortive, as personnel at the Division have refused to receive the petition.
The petition read in part: “ After the incident, he threatened to beat the driver up and prevented him and the passengers from taking photos or short videos that could vindicate them.
“ The driver called the office from the scene of the accident and he was asked to give the phone to Capt. Asemota for the matter to be resolved amicably but he refused to collect the phone rather he pulled out a gun and threatened to shoot them. Capt. Asemota summoned Det. Danjuma from Ikeja Cantonment to come and lead the truck to the cantonment detain the driver and both the male and female passengers. Thankfully, Det. Danjuma only impounded the truck.
“ I met with Capt. Asemota in his office with some of his colleagues the next day and he said that he wanted us to repaint the entire body of the car which I objected. He did insist however, that we should buy a new fender, two new headlights and repaint the bumper.
For this, I received a quotation from Lt. Mohammed Shuaibu purportedly from their panelbeater. I promptly called Lt.Mohammed Shuaibu and told him that we cannot pay N100,000 to repair a fender that i will rather give the job to my panel beater.
“ While it was agreed that we could engage our panel beater to do the repair work, the Captain insisted that the work must be done within the Bonny Camp premises. We bought the new headlight, washed the old left headlight, repaired and repainted the fender and bumper.
“ Upon completion of work by the panel beater on Monday November 9, Capt. Asemota called that he wasn’t satisfied with the work and drove away in his car. We were unable to reach him again until November 11, when he disclosed that he had resprayed the entire car at a cost of N50,000, and for him to release our vehicle we must pay 50 percent, that is N25,000.
“All attempts to pacify him were rebuffed. Even the explanation that losses incurred by us as a
result of him depriving us of use of the vehicle were in excess of N50,000 per day. Lt. Mohammed Shuaibu’s account details were sent and we credited him with the agreed sum, N25,000, before the truck was released.”
Lamenting the highhandedness, cruelty and unprofessional conduct exhibited by the officer, Kintosu demanded the company be compensated, for the losses incurred.
He also urged the army authority to prevail on the matter, to avert a possible repeat of the action of the officer.
Attempts by the Nigerian Xpress to reach the embattled officer proved abortive, as his mobile phone number was not reachable.
The Spokesperson for the 81 Division, Major Olaniyi Osoba, said the Division was on the matter as the Company had been reached.
