There was panic on Osogbo Street in the Itire area of Lagos State after policemen on a raid shot indiscriminately, during which a father of one was killed.
OUR SOURCE learnt that apart from the deceased, identified only as Elewure, a resident, whose name had yet to be known, was hit, and had been rushed to a private hospital.
Elewure was said to be a commercial driver who plied Oshodi to Obalende route.
Our correspondents gathered that on Wednesday, a hoodlum living in the area was caught by other residents brandishing a gun.
The residents were said to have disarmed him, after which the hoodlum allegedly invited policemen from the Itire division, alleging that residents had guns in their possession.
OUR SOURCE learnt that policemen from the division at about 12pm moved into Osogbo Street to raid the area and began shooting sporadically.
The gunshots were said to have caused confusion as residents and shop owners scampered to safety.
Some of the hoodlums were said to have also hurled pebbles at the policemen, intensifying the shooting.
it was gathered that Elewure, said to be passing by, was shot and he died while being rushed to a hospital.
Our correspondents gathered that two policemen in the patrol team had been arrested by the Aguda Police Division and were being detained at the Area C Command, Surulere.
When we visited the area, a resident, who identified himself as Musa Onitere, said Elewure worked as a commercial driver at Pako Aguda Motor Park.
He said, “I learnt that two groups fought over the ownership of a gun a day before the incident. The policemen were invited from Itire to make peace between the groups on that Wednesday.
“In the afternoon, I began to hear gunshots. Everyone left their goods and fled, while some people locked their doors. When the dust settled, a man was found dead; the victim did not belong to either of the factions.
“The deceased was a commercial driver. He was a hardworking man.”
A shop owner, who gave his name only as Akinyele, said the Rapid Response Squad policemen came to the area to restore normalcy after Elewure had been killed.
He said, “After the Itire policemen left, the RRS men brought three patrol vans and calmed everyone down.”
A member of the Oodua Peoples’ Congress, who spoke to us on condition of anonymity, identified the two policemen detained simply as Pastor and Alake.
He said, “The policemen are known to many people. They are from the Itire division. I only know them asPastor and Alake. The policemen have been taken to the Area C Command, Surulere. One of the hoodlums had invited them.
“The hoodlum had taken a gun to fight with some people. The residents collected the gun from him; but the hoodlum invited the police, and as the policemen were shooting, two people were hit. One of them died, while the other is still in a hospital receiving treatment. The matter was first reported at the Aguda Police Division, but it has now been transferred to the Area C Command.”
When we got to Pako Aguda Park, none of Elewure’s friends could link our correspondents with his wife.
It was gathered that the corpse of the driver had been deposited in a morgue.
The Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, SP Dolapo Badmos, said investigation was ongoing into the matter.
“The case is under investigation at the area command,” she said in a text message.
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