ESSIET’S QUEST FOR JUSTICE
The reggae icon of the Mandators’ fame, Victor Essiet recently appeared before Justice Akinkugbe at the High Court of Lagos State, Ikeja. He wasn’t carrying his guitar nor was he accompanied by back-up singers. Instead, he was backed by a team of loyalists and the media in this civil litigation he instituted against the Nigeria Police. In the suit filed against the Inspector-General of Police, Assistant Superintendent of Police, Mr. Ndah, Mr. Morris Etim and two others for the violation of his human rights, Essiet claimed that on November 29, 2014 at the National Stadium, Surulere, where he and his crew were to hold the maiden edition of the much trumpeted concert, “Africa Meets Reggae”, the show was disrupted when police vehicles stormed the venue. He said fans were sent away from the venue on the grounds that there were armed robbers at the venue waiting to wreak havoc as soon as the show commenced.
The arrest was not carried out in a civil manner. Essiet, who claimed that the assailants were armed, revealed that he as well as three others travelling with him in his car were assaulted. His driver was the first victim of the attack who was yanked out of the seat.
“They returned and started attacking me. They started hitting me and I wanted to protect myself from them because I didn’t know who they were. But I was overpowered because they were many. They were not less than 20. We were all scared. One of my staff was inside the car with me and she was wounded. They were just attacking anyone around who tried to intervene and the crowd was swelling. The news got to the venue that I was being abducted. The whole place got rowdy and people started running away from the venue,” Essiet, who is famous for the reggae classic, “Rat Race” recounted.
Essiet who addressed journalists at the end of the court proceedings said the concert was organised to promote tourism and culture as is the practice in other parts of the world. Hence, his matter is not just aimed at dragging the police to court but to ensure that enabling environment is created for artistes who return to the country to practise their art.
Essiet found it disturbing that after several decades of leaving the Nigerian shores to propagate his music in the Europe and America, he would return to Nigerian only to be dragged in handcuffs and shackles like a condemned criminal. His knuckles were broken even before he knew the identity of the people who arrested him. With the intervention of Keppy Ekpenyong, the men reportedly declared, “We are SARS and we want to get this criminal.’’ Everywhere in the world, the word, “suspect” is used in describing an individual who is yet to be found guilty of a criminal act. Essiet was not given that suspect treatment as he was taken to the Special Anti-robbery Unit at Ikeja.
He was told by the police that a certain individual, known to Essiet, had written a petition against him on the allegation of defrauding him of N15m which was meant as part payment for a truck. Essiet explained that he was not into truck business and that he only assisted the fellow in linking up with a truck company that sold trucks on installmental basis. After the first truck was purchased, Essiet claimed that the petitioner didn’t pay him all the money he had loaned to him for the first truck. Later, the petitioner continued to deal with the company online to purchase more trucks. Essiet claimed he was not aware of this as he was busy touring the Europe with his band as at the time of the said transaction. Apparently, the petitioner had been duped by someone who was using the name of the company to defraud people. Upon the intervention of his lawyer, Charles Lambo, he was released from police custody. Essiet was flown to a hospital in Abuja for treatment.
Essiet also told journalists after the court session stated that he had invested N200million in the concert. He bought the franchise to the International music festival in the US to restore the glory of roots reggae to Africa and he had international artists billed to perform. However, he reaffirmed his stand for justice.
“All the parties have been served, the police too. All of them are just playing hard to get. There is a process and we will follow it through. We live in a country where people’s rights are trampled upon. We want to try to see the possibility of reforming the country because we can’t afford to be treated like animals.
I came from America to contribute to the economy of the country only to be violated with agony. But it’s our country. We just have to strive to make sure we work it through to make it better,” he said.
The matter had been adjourned till Tuesday, May 19 for further hearing.