Mourning colleagues killed by rampaging soldiers
Soldiers attached to a military barracks in Badagry, Lagos, yesterday shot no fewer than three police officers dead in retaliation for the killing of one of their colleagues, local newspapers are reporting today.
NEXT, which put the number of the slain police officers at three said the cops’ untimely journey to the grave began when heavily armed soldiers stormed an Oceanic bank branch in the town and engaged anti-riot police officers on guard duties in a fight. They also beat up some customers of the bank.
In its report of the incident, Lagos-based daily, Thisday put the number of the killed officers at four, a figure that is again in contrast with the eight given by Abuja-based Daily Trust.
On receiving information about the clash between his men and the soldiers, according to the NEXT report, Saliu Samuel, a chief superintendent of police and the divisional police officer of the Badagry Police station, rushed to the scene in company of the Divisional Crime Officer (DCO) and two other officers, to pacify the security officers.
Mr Samuel successfully restored order, and was on his way back to the station when his delegation of three was attacked and shot dead.
Reports say the soldiers who attacked the cops at the bank and those who killed the divisional police officers and his team were from the nearby Ibereko Barracks. Their action, the reports added, was to avenge the recent killing of one of their own by a mobile police officer attached to the Rapid Response Squad (RRS) of the Lagos State police command.
Samuel Jinadu, Lagos police spokesperson confirmed the incident, saying investigation had begun.
“The command is aware of the problem in Badagry and the police will do everything to ensure there is peace in the area,” Mr Jinadu said. “Lagosians in the area should go about their normal businesses without fear, as the police are effectively on ground. Let me assure you that the incident will be thoroughly investigated and the culprits brought to book.”
The killing of the police officers is coming barely a month after the divisional police officer of the Alakuko Police Station in Lagos, Joseph Olatomunkun, was shot dead in a shoot-out with armed robbers along the Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway on April 23.