Angry worker sets 6 colleagues on fire

A worker with an unnamed manufacturing company in Amuwo Odofin area of Lagos State, Moses Ayogu  has been arrested by the police for setting ablaze six of his colleagues, following a heated argument between them.

Two of the workers reportedly died, while four others sustained varying degrees of burns  and have been admitted to Apapa General Hospital.

The suspect had been arraigned at Apapa Magistrates’ Court but the presiding magistrate ordered the transfer of the case to Kirikiri Magistrates’  Court for proper prosecution  and ordered that the suspect be remanded at Kirikiri Prison.

A police source at Festac Police Station informed the Nigerian Tribune that the suspect set Lawrence Onyejekwe, John Omeren, Chijioke Anayo, Emmanuel Phillip, Titus Terkuwe and Hope Effiong on fire, a few days ago, over an argument that ensued between them on the premises of the company.

The suspect had allegedly sprayed the victims with insecticide before setting them on fire with a match stick.

Onyejekwe and Omeren  reportedly died instantly  before they could be rushed to the hospital, while the four others escaped death, but were seriously injured.

The Nigerian Tribune gathered that the suspect had wanted to escape from the premises of the company but was apprehended and handed over to the police at Festac Town Police Station by the management of the company.

The police prosecutor stated that the offence committed by the suspect is contrary to sections 22 and 248 of the criminal code of  Lagos State of Nigeria, 2011.

Meanwhile, two people were on Monday morning shot dead while two others sustained serious gunshot injuries when officials of the Nigeria Security and  Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and oil bunkerers clashed around Ogolonto and Majidun area of Ikorodu in Lagos State.

Over 60 suspected bunkerers  were immediately,  after the incident, arrested and taken to the Lagos State command headquarters of the NSCDC in Alausa, Ikeja.

A Bus Rapid Transit  (BRT) bus was  set ablaze by  the rampaging bunkerers, who also vandalised one of the patrol vehicles belonging to the paramilitary agency.

The clash between the two groups created serious pandemonium in Ikorodu and communities along Ikorodu Road  as the angry bunkerers  went on the rampage, attacking people and wielding dangerous weapons.

A resident, who  identified himself as Akinfenwa, while  speaking with  Nigerian Tribune stated that the officials of  NSCDC had earlier succumbed to the superior fire power of the heavily armed bunkerers before they reinforced and were joined by officers of the joint military patrol, OP MESA and policemen from the Lagos State police command

“The civil defence people came around 10.30 a.m. and attempted to arrest some of the bunkerers in the riverine area and a serious gun duel ensued between them.

“In the ensuing gun duel, two people, including one person suspected to be an innocent person were  hit by stray bullets and they died, while two others also sustained bullet wounds  as the two gangs exchanged gun fire,” Akinfenwa said.

The residents also informed the Nigerian Tribune that the NSCDC officials receded when the  superior fire power of the bunkerers  was becoming too much for them.
“The civil defence people escaped when they could not cope with the fire power of the  bunkerers and immediately they escaped, the bunkerers hit the road and set a BRT bus on fire and also vandalised the civil defence operational vehicle,” a resident said.

The Nigerian Tribune gathered that a team of policemen, officers of joint military patrol, OPMESA and reinforced Civil Defence operatives later invaded the bunkering zone and shot sporadically into different directions.

The officers shot tear gas canister into the air thereby causing serious confusion as residents were forced to cover their eyes and noses  following the choking effect of the tear gas.

When contacted, the image maker in charge of the state police command, Ngozi Braide, claimed not to be aware of the  clash between  the bunkerers and the civil defence officers.