By Evelyn Usman
Gunmen at the early hours of yesterday, invaded venue of a meeting organized by leader of the National Union of Road Transport Workers NURTW on the Lagos Island , leaving one person dead while two policemen sustained gun wounds.

Lagos yellow buses

Several persons were said to have sustained varying degrees of injury in the ensuing stampede .

Report said that the Union’s head at Idumota, Kunle Poly , was having a meeting with members of the respective garages at his house, a three storey building, which also serves as his office, in Idumota area, at 12 midnight .

Midway into the meeting , Poly, reportedly stepped out of the conference hall located on the top most floor of the building to see some friends off. He was accompanied by two policemen and his Personal Assistant identified simply as Pero.

Immediately they got downstairs, they were rattled by sporadic gunshots from some hoodlums said to be drinking .

The Non Commissioned policemen, as gathered put up an act of bravery as they responded fire – for-fire. But eye witnesses said that they were hit by bullets in the legs, ribs and hands.

When the dust settled, the injured were rushed to the hospital where Pero was confirmed dead.

His remains as reliably gathered, was secretly buried hours later , without the knowledge of some of the union members. One of those at the meeting who simply gave his name as Muftau, said ” Pero was buried secretly because we did not want his loyalists to act otherwise.

Already some hoodlums had hijacked the situation and were spoiling for war, as they suspected that the boys that carried out the dastardly act were from Agwarawu. Between 2 am and 5am, they even invaded Agarawu but their targets fled their abode because they got ind of the situation.

Pero’s death hit us like thunderbolt because nobody saw this coming. He was not the target . Their target was Kunle Poly and the invasion is definitely in connection with toll collection at the garages under his command. The policemen are receiving treatment at the hospital “, he said .

As at yesterday, the entire area was still tensed and shops were under lock and keys, over fear of a reprisal attack.

As at 12 noon yesterday, news filtered in that there was move to carry out a reprisal attack at Agarawu.

This was followed by text messages to loved ones to avoid the route.
As at time of writing this report, policemen comprising both conventional and Mobile policemen, those of the Rapid Response Squad and Military personnel, were patrolling the area.

When contacted to know whether any arrest was made, the Lagos State Police Public Relations Officers, Chike Oti, promised to get back to this reporter.