Two Nigerian workers on the Lagos Blue Line Rail project were allegedly assaulted by a soldier acting on the orders of a Chinese expatriate. The incident reportedly occurred on Friday at the Abule Ado section of the project and involved an expatriate from the China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC), the company handling the electric rail transit line in Lagos.
Eyewitnesses claim this marks the third time in a month that Nigerian workers have been assaulted under similar circumstances. The latest altercation reportedly began when the two workers attempted to ride in the back cabin of the company’s Toyota Hilux after work hours. The Chinese expatriate, who was inside the vehicle, allegedly ordered the soldier attached to him to “thoroughly deal with them.”
A witness recounted, “Around 5:30 p.m. on Friday, these workers tried to climb into the back of the Hilux to head home. The Chinese man saw them and instructed the soldier to brutalize them. The soldier used his gun to beat them, leaving them badly injured.”
Another source lamented, “This is not the first time. In the past month alone, I’ve witnessed two other incidents where workers were assaulted. These workers are poorly paid, earning less than N70,000 despite working tirelessly from 7:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., Monday through Sunday. It’s disheartening to see a foreigner misuse a Nigerian soldier to oppress his own people.”
The source further called for action, stating, “The Nigerian Army must identify and discipline the soldier involved. It’s unacceptable for a taxpayer-funded security operative to be used as a tool of oppression by a foreigner. The Lagos State government should also investigate this matter. These workers are the backbone of the Lagos Blue Line Rail construction from Marina to Okoko.”
This incident follows another recent controversy involving a Chinese national in Lagos. A few weeks ago, a video surfaced showing a Chinese businessman mutilating Naira notes in protest after Lagos State officials sealed his company for violating regulations. The incident, which occurred along the Lekki-Epe Expressway, sparked outrage on social media.
In the video, the Chinese national resisted the government officials’ actions, tearing Naira notes in defiance. Some Nigerian workers at the scene appeared to shield him from being apprehended. The video drew widespread condemnation, with many Nigerians demanding his arrest.
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