A yet-to-be identified armed officials of the Nigeria Prisons Service have brutalised a motorist for alleged reckless driving which resulted in an auto crash in the Oredo Local Government Area of Edoi State.

The accident, which occurred at the gulf course axis of Reservation road in Benin, was said to have involved the  motorist and a Hilux van belonging to the state command of the NPS.

It was learnt that the Hilux van, conveying some prisons’ personnel, was en route to the Oko prison on Airport road to pick some inmates for trial when it rammed into the perimeter fence of a school, as it tried to avoid a collision with the motorist in a Honda car.

Although no life was lost as of the time of filing the report, one of the prisons’ officials was said to have been injured and taken to a hospital for treatment.

Angered by the development, one of the armed prison operatives descended on the man, whose identity could not be ascertained.

A video of the incident, which went viral, showed the NPS operative deflating the tires of the man’s car before he suddenly slapped the motorist, causing him to collapse.

A woman, suspected to be the wife of the driver, was seen weeping and begging the operatives to spare his life as he was a father of three children.

But the woman’s plea did not pacify the prison official, who was heard saying that he forbade begging.

While some passers-by appealed for leniency, others blamed the embattled driver for not being careful.

When contacted on Saturday, the spokesman for the command, Mr. Suleman Aminu, said that the command had begun an investigation on the incident, adding that accident could have been fatal if the driver of the Hilux van had not avoided the Honda car.

Aminu explained, “Our driver took caution to avoid a direct collision with the vehicle, which could have led to the death of the (beaten) driver and his wife.

“The Hilux van driver took a risk by veering off the road and eventually crashing into the fence of a school. Our operative, who sustained a serious injury is still in the hospital.

“He hit the vehicle with his chest and head. The doctor had to immediately recommend an x-ray to see the damage done; he (prison operative) collapsed in the hospital and has not been discharged.”

When asked if the prison officials did not take the laws into their hands by beating up the driver, the Edo prisons spokesman said, “That is what the state comptroller has set up a panel to investigate. The panel will look at the cause and action will be taken appropriately.”