Police fired teargas, not live ammunition to disperse agitators

Spokesman of the Lagos police command, Benjamin Hundeyin has reacted to the clash between Police personnel and agitators of Yoruba nation which occurred Monday morning in the Ojota area of Lagos state.

Speaking exclusively on TVC News, the Police PRO said some people who claimed to be Yoruba nation agitators disrupted flow of traffic and commercial activities in Ojota and the Police had to step in to ensure there is no breakdown of law and order.

According to him, the agitators resisted, fired at the police who had to disperse them with teargas and normalcy restored to the area.

He noted that ordinarily if this was not a procession disrupting flow of traffic, then police would have provided the needed security but this was not the case as the agitators were armed with pump action rifles.

“Before the police got there, they were already shooting sporadically and scaring people”

Mr Hundeyin confirmed one person died in the clash adding that while the agitators fired at police, the police used teargas to disperse the agitators.

He went on to say that two vehicles that were not police vehicles were wrecked, and that two police officers were struck by agitators’ gunfire but were promptly brought to LASUTH for treatment.

Mr Hundeyin added that four of the miscreants had been apprehended and transferred to the state headquarters for inquiry, and that troops and patrol teams were on standby to ensure that there was no further breakdown of law and order.

Furthermore, the Lagos Commissioner of Police has stated unequivocally that any further attempt by individuals or groups of individuals to disrupt the peace in Lagos or to attack security operatives or residents will be fiercely resisted and decisively dealt with in accordance with the provisions of the law.

The police PPRO stated that they do not yet have the identity of the deceased, but that investigations have begun.