NURTW member

….as hoodlums, Police clash over corpse, vandalise vehicles

By Monsuru Olowoopejo

There was pandemonium at Council Bus stop, along Idimu-Ikotun road, Alimosho Local Government Area of Lagos State on Wednesday after a member of the National Union of Road Transport Workers, NURTW, Mr. Segun Samson, also known as Ironbody, was allegedly shot dead by a yet to be identified Mobile policeman.

Police

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The incident which occurred at about 9:00 pm on Tuesday, within the premises of a car mart at the Bus stop, Vanguard gathered, threw the community into mourning, as many, especially commercial bus drivers were yet to come to terms with the reality that Segun, who became popular for his boldness and generosity could be shot dead by a policeman.

When Vanguard visited the scene at about 9 am, it was observed that the popular Council Market and all adjourning shops were shut.

Also, bonfires were sighted on all the roads linking the bus stop, especially Powerline and Liasu road, where residents said, was the major location for the clash that ensued between the youths and the policemen took place.

The deceased was shot dead because he allegedly stepped on the boots of the mobile policeman who was deployed with his colleague. The identity of the policeman deployed to provide security for the car mart is still unknown,

.How it started

Meanwhile, a resident, Abdul-Waheed Olayinka, told Vanguard that the law enforcement officer had accused late Segun of stepping on his boot when the deceased visited the premises and demanded to see the owner of the car mart.

Olayinka said: “When he told him, Segun apologized. But the security officer was not satisfied with the deceased’s response; demanding that further apology must be made. But late Segun, being a bold person, declined to tender further apology, claiming that his apology was to the uniform and not to  the man.

“His refusal angered the policeman and ordered his colleague to beat him up. While the colleague was doing that, the senior police officer was also kicking the deceased with his boots. While trying to force the policemen to stop their action, Segun dragged the policeman who ordered his beaten towards the gate.

“It was during this process, we heard a gunshot. And what we saw after that was Segun’s lifeless body on the flood. He was shot on his forehead,” he added.

Another resident, Kayode Olayiwola, told Vanguard that immediately news filtered in that a policeman had shot Ironbody, the youths in the community stormed the car mart, attacked the policemen and vandalized several vehicles.

Olayiwola added that they also attacked traders and vandalized several commercial vehicles passing through the bus stop at that time.

According to him, passersby were not spared from the attacks and several shops looted by the youths while protesting the death of Segun.

.Youths, Police clash over corpse

The clash between the policemen from Ikotun Police Station and hoodlums, Vanguard gathered, intensified when the youths demanded to remove Segun’s corpse from the scene.

Eyewitness told Vanguard that the police kicked against their request, arguing that an autopsy would be conducted. But the youths refused.

It was learned that when the policemen from Ikotun Police Station realized that efforts to disperse the irate youths proved abortive, the policemen attached to the Rapid Response Squad, a police formation established by Lagos State Government was deployed to the scene to restore normalcy.

Police

Efforts to get the response of the Police Public Relation Officer, PPRO, Bala Elkana, proved abortive.

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Vanguard