News Obiaks News

An altercation between policemen from the Area D Command and some thugs in the Akala and Idi-Oro areas of Mushin, Lagos State has led to death of at least five persons including a policeman, three residents and a pupil.

The incident was believed to have started after a police team raided a shop where some hoodlums sold hemp on Elegba Street. The police reportedly retreated and returned with more police personnel, engaging in a gun battle with the hoodlums.

A witness, who spoke to a PUNCH reporter, on condition of anonymity, said tear gas canisters were shot into two private secondary schools –Ansarudeen Comprehensive College and Amazing Grace Secondary School – by the police team. Samuel Okechukwu, a pupil of one of the schools, who was asthmatic, reportedly died.

The witness said: "The police had been raiding Akala and Idi-Oro for some weeks now and carrying away bags of hemp. The hoodlums believe that the police resell them. They had been planning to fight back.

"Last night (Monday), a man on Elegba Street took delivery of hemp worth 7 million naira and the police got information about it. Around 11 am, the policemen, led by the Area Commander, Area D Mushin, Akinbayo Olusoji, headed for the shop and seized the hemp.

"The residents, who had been enraged by previous raids,  mobilised and launched an attack. They threw stones, broken bottles and other items at the policemen.

"The policemen returned with reinforcements. Three people were shot dead. They fired two tear gas canisters into Ansarudeen Comprehensive College on Alhaji Lasisi Street and another one entered into Amazing Grace Secondary School on Elegba Street. Many of the pupils were affected. A boy died in Amazing Grace."

Another pupil's leg was reported broken after been hit by a vehicle as he tried running home in the confusion that followed the shootout. 

A resident, however, blamed the altercation on alleged police extortion.

"There are black spots in Idi-Oro where the hoodlums smoke hemp freely. The police collect settlement from them. The police had gone there two weeks ago and got some settlements. They returned today (Tuesday) and the boys resisted and that was how the fight started."

"The hoodlums brought out guns and engaged the police in a shootout. It was like a war. The police had killed two of them before a cop was seized and stabbed to death. They brought out his intestines with bottles," he said.

When contacted the state Police Public Relations Officer, SP Chike Oti, confirmed that the incident had been brought to his notice but added that the details of the event were still sketchy at the time.