Police, Civil Defence in gun duel after killing of two NSCDC Officers in Lagos

 

There was pandemonium at the Ikorodu area of Lagos State on Wednesday morning, after policemen gunned down two members of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps and seriously injured others.

The Daily Newswatch gathered that the attack happened at about 3am, just as members of Civil Defense were returning from a successful anti-vandals operation, where vandals were arrested along with their exhibits.

The killing of the two men attracted a reprisal Wednesday at Alausa, when two Civil Defence members attacked two policemen and attempted to beat them to death. Other policemen tried to come to the rescue of their colleagues. And before one could say Jack Robison, sporadic shootings, were coming from both group. The two policemen were taken prisoners by Civil Defence men.

The slain officers have been identified as an Assistant Inspector, Gabriel Adaji and Inspector Innocent Akegbe.

Their corpses have been taken to the Military Hospital Mortuary, Yaba.

The Daily Newswatch heard that the arrested vandals were already being taken back to the Lagos State Command of the Civil Defence when all hell broke loose.

 A source claimed that the Civil Defence officers were ambushed by policemen working with vandals. The attack came barely minutes after one of the vandals, allegedly made a call.

Another source further said: “Immediately the police got wind of the information, they laid ambush for the Civil Defence officers. As soon as they sighted the men, they immediately opened.  The men were overwhelmed by flying bullets. The bullets seemed to be coming from all sides, attacking the patrol vehicle. Many of the officers were hit, but two died instantly. Others, who were injured, ran for their lives.  We heard that the vandals were released immediately by the shooters.”

One of the wounded Civil Defence officers explained that they were caught unaware and did not retaliate because the men were in police uniform, thus they knew they were law enforcement officers like them. Little did they know that the policemen came to attack them.

The Civil Defence vehicle, marked CD 15A01, was said to have been riddled with bullets and covered in blood.

The killing of the two men culminated in a reprisal attack on policemen Wednesday, hours after the killings, in front of the Civil Defence office at Alausa.  Men of the Civil Defence were said to have attacked two policemen and almost beaten them to death. Other policemen were said to have to attempt to come to their colleagues’ aid. Within a twinkle of an eye, there were sporadic bullet shots into the air by the police and civil defence corps.

Passersby scampered for safety, while passengers in commercial buses jumped down, running helter skelter. Commercial motorists, were also said to have reversed, with many thinking robbers had overtaken Lagos.
The two policemen that were beaten were forced into the civil defence premises by corps officers while officers of the Rapid Response Squad were sent by their police authourity to rescue them by whatever means necessary.
Large numbers of fully armed RRS officers were stationed at the civil defence gate, while the Divisional Police Officer, Alsausa Police Station was also the scene.  Civil defence men were ordered by their commandant back into their premises. The atmosphere remained tense and there are fears that policemen really use all mean necessary to rescue their colleagues.
Inside the Civil Defence office, 100 of officers stopped work and were seen discussing the tragedy with anger.
The DPO, Alausa Police Station was sighted, having a confab with the Civil Defence authourity, apparently to resolve the impasse.
Spokesperson of the Lagos Civil Defence Corps, Kehinde Dada said the officers had gone on a raid of vandals in Ikorodu and were returning back when they were ambushed by the police who shot dead two civil defence corps.

She said the attack was sudden and did not give the civil defence officers the chance to defend themselves.

Another civil defence officer alleged that the vandals called the police that their men had been arrested and wanted the police to rescue them, saying that the police stormed the scene and shot at civil defence officers and killed two of them.

The officer said this was not the first time policemen would be attacking civil defence officers.

The Deputy Public Relations Officer (DPRO) of NSCDC, Mr. Shola Odumosu explained that on Wednesday two of their men were killed and five other officers were seriously injured, while carrying out their official duty.

Odumosun stated that the four suspected NNPC Pipeline vandals were released by the police, who escaped with them.

He said: ``While the police escaping with the suspects, a police identity card of one Inspector Sunday Gabriel, with Force No. 1206ZZ, attached to Pipeline vandals Taskforce and his service pistol fell down.

``We have these exhibits with us. The police anti-pipeline vandal taskforce cannot claim they don’t know Civil Defence uniform and patrol van. The attack is an indication of hatred against the Corps for winning the war against vandals.

``It is only uniform men conniving with vandals to sabotage the Nigeria economy that would deliberately open fire on our men so that their evil trade will continue.”

The DPRO said that the corpses have been deposited at the mortuary, while the bullet ridden patrol van parked at the Lagos command headquarters, Alausa.

He said that NSCDC highest authority has taken the case with the appropriate authorities, with a view to investigate the matter.

Meanwhile, the police officers involved in the incident have been arrested and detained at the police headquarters, Ikeja.

A very reliable source said that the Inspector-general of police, Muhammed Abubakar was worried over the killings, adding that he ordered for their immediate arrest.