Police
Allegedly Shoots Commercial Motorcyclist in Lagos
Chiemelie
Ezeobi
Pandemonium erupted at the Ilupeju area of Lagos
State yesterday when some policemen attached to Ilupeju Police Division,
allegedly shot a commercial motorcyclist in the chest.
THISDAY gathered that the policemen were on duty enforcing
the recent ban by the Lagos State Government restricting commercial motorcycles
popularly known as Okada from 475
roads in the state.
The incident has brought the total number of commercial
motorcycle riders shot by the police in two weeks to four while enforcing the
ban.
According to eyewitness report, the victim was shot
in the chest at Ilupeju By-Pass off the Ikorodu Expressway, for refusing the
directive from the gun-toting policemen to stop.
Although he was immediately rushed to an undisclosed
hospital by sympathisers, as at press time, his health condition was yet to be
ascertained.
Meanwhile, the policemen immediately took off in
their White Hilux Van as soon as the crowd started to converge at the scene of
the incident.
However, angered by the incessant killing of their colleagues,
commercial motorcycle riders went on rampage at the Ilupeju and Magodo areas of
the state to register their displeasure.
Speaking to THISDAY on conditions of anonymity, an
eyewitness said the police shot the commercial motorcyclist because he tried to
evade arrest.
He said, “Since morning, the police team had been
patrolling the Ilupeju By-Pass looking for defaulters of the ban. Suddenly, the
commercial motorcyclist breezed into the road only to run into the enforcement
team.
“To be fair, the police actually ordered him to stop
but he refused and attempted to escape. It was then one of the policemen shot
him in the chest.”
He added, “Immediately they shot him, the sped away
because people had started gathering. They didn’t even wait to find out whether
he was dead or alive.
“As much as the police are expected to carry out
their constitutional responsibilities, they are to do so without taking people’s
lives. The commissioner of police should please caution his men.”
Just last week, a yet-to-be identified policeman
attached to the Agege Division of the Lagos State Police Command, allegedly pummeled
a commercial motorcyclist, one Omo Saki to death with a baton.
In a similar development, another motorcyclist, one
Dare Ajayi, was allegedly beaten to death by policemen from the same division
at Haruna Street, Fagba Road, Ifako Ijaye.
