By Bose adelaja & Monsur Olowoopejo

Residents of Majidun, Ikorodu, Lagos, yesterday, trooped out to protest unlawful shooting of three of their own by one of the Naval personnel mounting surveillance on pipelines of Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, since October 2014.

The victims, simply identified as Lanre Agbor, Abass and Timothy, all tipper drivers at the park, were shot.

The naval personnel were deployed to the area in October 2014 to curb activities of petroleum vandals, but tragedy struck last Monday when one of the personnel, a Naval rating, suspected to be drunk, left his duty post, shot into the air, injuring three residents.

The incident occurred around 3p.m., Monday, at the tipper park and the three victims were said to be going about their businesses.

Residents said the Naval rating was recently elevated in his office, which he went to celebrate. He returned to the park and started shooting into the air.

Yesterday, scores of the protesters took to the streets in protest, bearing placards with such inscriptions as “Help us Buhari,” “Enough of unlawful shootings,” “Nigeria Navy has taken over our land,’’ among others.

Policemen were on ground to prevent possible takeover of  the protest by hoodlums.

As soon as the incident occurred last Monday, the victims were reportedly rushed to Ikorodu General Hospital by colleagues of the Naval officer. But two of the victims were rejected at the hospital due to the critical nature of their gunshot wounds.

They were later taken to Lagos University Teaching Hospital, LUTH, where they are currently receiving treatment.

At press time yesterday, the state of their health was uncertain and this caused another round of protests by residents, who converged on Majidun Bridge amidst tight security.

Some of the protesters alleged that their land had been taken over by the naval officers who had forcibly evicted many landlords.