‘I can make you disappear’— Nigerian lawmaker threatens, assaults Bolt driver

A member of the House of Representatives, Alex Mascot, has been caught on video assaulting a Bolt driver and threatening to make him disappear.

In a video posted on X (formerly known as Twitter), Mr Mascot, a first-term member, slapped the Bolt driver three times and made threats against him while boasting, “Do you know who I am?”.

He added, “I can make you disappear. I am a Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.” It is not clear if Mr Mascot, who represents Aba North/Aba South federal Constituency of Abia State in the House of Representatives deliberately described himself as a senator or it was just an innocent slip.

In Nigeria, e-hailing drivers and dispatch drivers are exposed to diverse forms of risks and dangers. Some have lost their lives while delivering goods or picking and dropping passengers.

Background

Mr Mascot ordered snails from a vendor, and the goods were sent via the popular ride-hailing service, Bolt. Upon arrival, the driver called the lawmaker to come outside to collect his item.

However, Mr Mascot took offence, stating that the driver was rude to ask him to come out to collect his item.

“Do you know where you are? Do you know who I am? So, you think I will give you my money with the way you have spoken to me,” the lawmaker ranted.

The lawmaker also called the vendor who sent the snails to complain, stating that he could make the “Bolt driver disappear.”

“Madam, who is this stupid boy that you sent to my house? Who is this foolish boy you sent to my house? How can this stupid idiot come to my house and say I am supposed to come and meet him in his car and collect the snails I am buying from you?”

He continued: “Can you imagine this rat? I can make this man disappear in the whole of Nigeria, and nothing will happen. Can you imagine this rat? I am not going to give this boy one naira of my money. No, no, no. I am not going to give this silly boy one naira of my money.”

The driver responded by demanding payment for the service rendered. He added that the lawmaker had been insulting him without any response from him.

“You have been insulting me, and I have been quiet,” the Bolt driver said.

Full exchange between the lawmaker and the Bolt driver

Mr Mascot: And I pray that you do. I pray that you insult me. Can you please insult me? I am not going to call my policemen to beat you up. I will beat you up myself to show you that I am a big brother to you. I will slap the hell out of you, beat you up, and lock you up in my generator room. How dare you? Do you know who you are talking to? Do you know where you are? Is it because you see me sitting out here?

Bolt Driver: Please, sir, pay me, and let me go.

Mr Mascot: Look at this monkey, ooh. Are you looking at me and thinking that you can beat me? Who the hell do you think you are talking to? (He slapped the driver). Do you know who I am? I am a Senator of this republic (another slap). Do you know who the hell I am? How dare you?

Bolt Driver: Are you slapping me, sir?

Mr Mascot: You see, in this place, I will deal with you.

Bolt Driver: Are you slapping me, sir?

Mr Mascot: I just did, and I am coming back. How dare you? How dare you? How dare you? Do you know who I am?

Bolt Driver: Did you just slap me three times?

Mr Mascot: I just did twice, and the third one, you will soon receive it. How dare you? Come on, get out of this place.

Bolt Driver: I need my payment. This is where I am. I just got three slaps from this man because I told him to come and get his stuff and pay me my money. He claims…

Mr Mascot: Tell them. My name is Hon. Alex Mascot Ikwecheg, a member of the House of Representatives. Tell them I slapped you. Call the Inspector General of Police. Call him; let him come here. Record me very well. You came to my house; you disrespect me.

Bolt Driver: I did not disrespect you. I said, pay me my money, and let me leave.

Mr Mascot later grabbed the phone forcefully and ended the video.

PREMIUM TIMES contacted Mr Mascot via phone calls, but he refused to answer. He also did not respond to text messages, including a WhatsApp message.

History of physical assaults by Nigerian lawmakers

Nigerian lawmakers are notorious for assaulting people at the slightest provocation.

In 2019, Elisha Abbo, who represented Adamawa North Senatorial District in the 9th Assembly, assaulted a woman in a sex shop.

Mr Abbo later apologised publicly for his actions and turned himself in to the police, who held him overnight before granting him bail “after meeting a set of administrative conditions for his bond.”

The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court in Maitama, Abuja, also fined the then-senator N50 million as compensation to Osimibibra Warmate, a lady he assaulted.

Police identify Bolt driver in the video

The Nigeria Police Force has identified the Bolt driver in the video as Stephen Abuwatseya.

In a statement on Monday, the police said Mr Abuwatseya reported the case to the Maitama Divisional Headquarters, adding that the incident happened on Sunday.

“The NPF is aware of the incident between a Bolt driver, Mr Stephen Abuwatseya, and Hon. Alexander Ikwegh, which took place on 27 October 2024, in Maitama, Abuja,” the police posted on their X account.

“The FCT Command is actively handling the case following Mr Abuwatseya’s official report at the Maitama Divisional Headquarters. The Police Force also urges the public to refrain from using the name or office of the Inspector-General of Police to intimidate others, as such actions undermine the values of impartiality that the IGP’s office upholds,” the statement reads.