By Evelyn Usman

LAGOS— The Police in Lagos have arrested three persons in connection with the killing of a barber, last Tuesday, in Abule-Ado area of the state.

The deceased, identified as Olajuwawon Olawepo, was reportedly hit by a stray bullet during an invasion of a motor park around the area by hoodlums.

The hoodlums allegedly led by one Lateef Sadiku Olarinde, who claimed to be owner of a portion of the land used as a motor park, reportedly stormed there to chase commercial motorcyclists away.

The motorcyclists were said to have put up resistance, an action that led to a free-for-all during which the hoodlums alleged to have been armed, opened fire.

One of the motorcyclists, who simply gave his name as Gbenga, told Vanguard: “That was not the first time agbero(motor park touts) led by Olarinde would besiege the park. They usually come in their numbers to extort money from us. Each Okada rider and stall owner pay N200 everyday to these agbero. Any time they come, they would harass people and even unleash mayhem on anyone who refuses to pay.

“On that fateful day, they were 30 in number that came to the park and when we tried to resist them, they opened fire, shooting indiscriminately. Oluwajuwon was trying to lock up his shop to escape when a stray bullet hit him on the chest. We have written several petitions about activities of these hoodlums but nothing has been done.”

Release our late brother’s corpse—Bereaved family

Meanwhile, the deceased’s family has appealed to the Inspector-General of Police, Mr Abubakar Mohammed to order a full scale investigation into the killing with a view to bringing the perpetrators to book.

Spokesperson for the family, Samson Olawepo, however expressed displeasure over the attitude of some policemen on the issue.

According to him, “I was at home last Tuesday when my pastor sent someone to call me. When I got there, he said someone just informed him that some hoodlums were fighting at Fin Niger Road in Abule-Ado and in the process my brother was shot dead. I and my pastor rushed to the scene, only to behold my brother in the pool of his blood.

“As I was screaming, some policemen from Agboju Police Division, who were also at the scene prevented me from going close until a senior officer gave them instruction to allow me see the corpse.

“I called my younger brothers, Samuel and Emmanuel on the phone to inform them about what happened. On their arrival, we started making arrangement on what next to do , only for one of the policemen to inform us that the Divisional Police Officer in charge of Agboju division ordered them to detain us. We were taken to the station and kept behind the counter.”