One shot, officer beaten to coma as police, bike riders clash

Juliana Francis

One person was shot and many others injured yesterday after policemen and commercial motorcycle riders clashed at the Idi Araba area of Mushin, Lagos State.

Fighting between the commercial bike riders and policemen started after policemen went to the area to effect the traffic law.

Many policemen and bike riders were said to have sustained varying degree of injuries in the battle which lasted for almost an hour. One of the policemen was beaten until he lost consciousness.

An eye witness explained that the policemen impounded some motorcycles for riding on the double carriage road but the bike riders allegedly resisted arrest.

The bike riders were further alleged to have ganged up on the policemen and given them the beating of their lives.

As soon as they policemen escaped from the irate bike riders, they dashed to the nearest police station and equally reported at Area D Command, Mushin, frantically calling for re-enforcement.

Encouraged by the presence of more policemen, the police went to the scene, shooting sporadically.

Another witness said that it was in the course of the sporadic shooting, that a bullet hit one the people in the area. The wounded victim was immediately rushed to the hospital.