One feared dead as policemen, touts clash

The PPRO for Lagos State police command, Ngozi Braide.
| credits: File copy

An unidentified man was feared dead in the Oko Oba area of Lagos State on Wednesday after street urchins, otherwise known as area boys, and policemen attached to Oko Oba Police Division clashed.

PUNCH Metro learnt that many of the miscreants were injured while two policemen also allegedly suffered severe injuries and were rushed to a nearby hospital.

Although a version of the report had it that the fight broke out because policemen allegedly killed a man in the wee hours of the day, police authorities denied this.

According to Police authorities, trouble began after a robber snatched a motorcycle from a yet-to-be identified man around 7.30am.

It was said that some policemen had chased the alleged robber to the Abattoir area where the suspect ran to his friends for help.

The Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Ngozi Braide, said the policemen were beaten up but the security operatives restrained from fighting back.

She said, “Policemen on patrol saw a man lying face down on the ground in the area and when the man was picked up, he said his motorcycle had just been snatched by a robber. Policemen spotted the robber and pursued him.

“The robber fled to where his friends were in the Abattoir area and his friends started to fight the policemen. They vandalised the patrol vehicle and beat up the policemen with all sorts of weapons but the policemen refused to retaliate.

“Two policemen were severely injured and were rushed to a hospital. No one was shot.