Chiemelie Ezeobi
For reasons yet ascertained, police operatives attached to the Ikorodu Division, of the Lagos State Police Command, today, allegedly ambushed and engaged officials of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in a gun duel at the Ikorodu area of the state.
It was gathered that during the gun duel, police allegedly shot two of the NSCDC officials; Gabriel Adaji and Innocent Akegbe, who were part of the Anti Pipeline Vandalism Squad, while others escaped with varying degrees of injuries including gun shot wounds.
Recovered at the scene of the clash were one of the policemen's identity card, one Inspector Sunday Gabriel, with force number 120622 attached to the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), a service pistol and a walkie talkie set.
Although the reason for the clash has not been confirmed by either the police or civil defence, it was gathered that the civil defence were returning from a successful raid of the pipeline vandals when they were attacked by their police counterpart.
Sources claimed the vandals had made calls to a policeman attached to the NNPC, who alongside other policemen laid ambush for the civil defence officials who were heading to their headquarters with the vandals and the exhibits.
Eyewitness account alleged that the police opened fire on the patrol vehicles of the civil defence killing two of the officials while others fled into the nearby bush for safety.
However, another version said the policemen had first approached the civil defence to negotiate for the vandals release but switched to a show of force when their request was turned down.
The policemen who had argued that the civil defence has no jurisdiction in going after pipeline vandals were said to have regrouped, ambushed and attacked the members of the corp.
Confirming the incident, the NSCDC Deputy National Public Relations Officer, Sola Odumosu, expressed shock that his men died at the hands of a sister agency.
He said, "In what could be described as a commando attack, The Nigeria Police ambushed and opened fire on men of the anti-vandal squad of the Lagos State Command of NSCDC.
"They killed two men on the spot while others escaped with gunshot wounds in Ikorodu axis of Lagos State. The incident occurred at about 3am on Wednesday morning while the officers of the corps were returning from a successful anti-vandal operation.
"They had arrested vandals along with their exhibits and they were being transported back to the state headquarters of the corps when the vandals made calls to their police collaborators for support as they could not overwhelm the anti-vandalism team."
He added, "Immediately the police got wind of the information, they laid siege and opened fire on the NSCDC patrol vehicles killing two, while others scampered for their dear lives with gunshot wounds as the vandals were released immediately by the police.
"On seeing that it was the police, the men of the corps refused to fire a single shot from their rifles even when though they were being attacked.
"They could only express shock at a sister agency who ordinarily should assist in fighting crime and other criminality are the ones aiding them while the vandals continue to flourish in crime."
But sources at the Inspector General of Police Anti-Pipeline Vandalism Squad under the command of Inspector Friday Ibadin, said the police went to the area because they received information from NNPC Deputy Manager in-charge of security.
According to the source, the manager had called for back up from the police after he had complained that there was a drop in pressure from the pipelines.
The source said to ascertain the leakage, Inspector Gabriel and three other policemen went to investigate but saw two Hilux jeeps with about 13 NSCDC personnel.
He however admitted that there was an altercation which led the corps team leader to order for Gabriel's arrest, adding that it was during the scuffle that they seized his identity card and pistol.
Although the situation had been doused by a contingent of policemen drafted to Ikorodu, the civil defence corps however carried out a reprisal attack on the police at the Alausa area of the state.
THISDAY gathered that when the news filtered in, the angry officials of the NSCDC attacked some policemen stationed beside their office at Awolowo Road, Ikeja.
The immediate response of the state Rapid Response Squad (RRS), was said to have doused the clash and peace restored in the area. To maintain further peace, some RRS team was stationed at the scene.
Attempts to reach the state Police Public Relations Officer, Ngozi Braide, a Deputy Superintendent of Police, proved abortive, although THISDAY gathered that the command has arrested two of the officers involved in the show of shame.
Police sources also said the Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Abubakar, who has stepped into the matter, has asked the state Commissioner of Police, Umar Manko, to investigate.
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