Boko Haram scare in Lagos

• Police deny sect killing of policemen on Lagos-Ibadan Expressway

There was panic in Lagos yesterday over a purported Boko Haram attack along the ever-busy Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, which reportedly claimed the lives of nine policemen and 11 civilians.
The report, which went viral on the social media, had it that the suspected Boko Haram men numbering 18 were armed with AK 47 rifles.
The social media broadcast said: “If you are on the Lagos/Ibadan Expressway going towards Ibadan, please turn back. Eighteen suspected Boko Haram members are on the highway now displaying their skills.
Nine policemen and 11 civilians had been confirmed dead by these gunmen while trying to stop them from shooting.”

As the report went Oyo residents got panicky with residents calling their relatives not to embark on any journey on the axis, while those en route were advised to turn back. It took the intervention of Lagos, Ogun and Oyo state police commands to defuse the tension.
Heightened security at the Berger end of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway in apparent response to the scare also caused a gridlock on the busy motorway. The checkpoint, which had a number of police vehicles, including a police armoured personnel carrier (APC) in the vicinity, was manned by regular uniformed policemen, backed by soldiers and plainclothes officers all carrying assault rifles.
The gridlock backed up traffic beyond Arepo making a journey from the area, which normally takes about 20 minutes to last almost two hours. The Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Umar Manko, however dismissed the claim.
Explaining what happened, Manko said some hoodlums had attempted to highjack trucks loaded with wheat, leading to a fracas, which necessitated police intervention. Addressing journalists in his office at the Police Headquarters, Ikeja, Manko said: “There’s nothing true about the story. There’s no Boko Haram in Lagos. What happened today was that trucks loaded with bags of wheat were stopped along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway by hoodlums who wanted to highjack the bags of wheat.
The hoodlums had an encounter with the police. That’s what people saw and panicked. Lagosians should go about their lawful activities.” He added that though the news was not genuine, the command had, however, drafted teams of police to the axis. Commenting on panic being created by BBM users, Manko said: “We can’t do anything about social media network users.
We can’t police it. What we can do however is to let members of the public know the truth, that such rumours are not true! We however urge people not to create panic. People should learn to provide relevant and accurate information.” Also reacting to the rumour, Ogun State Police Command, spokesperson, Muyiwa Adejobi, said: “The attention of the Ogun State Command has been drawn to a rumour widely broadcast on social media that Boko Haram members are operating along the Lagos/Ibadan Expressway and killed some policemen and civilians.

“There is no iota of truth in the statement as nothing of such happened along the express or any part of Ogun State. It’s the handiwork of mischiefmakers to create fear in the minds of people. “Probably the rumour mongers took the presence of police and other security agencies at a point where a truck, loaded with wheat, fell across the expressway between Fidiwo and Ogunmakin in Obafemi Owode Local Government Area of Ogun State for Boko Haram attack.
“The police and other security agencies, including FRSC, TRACE, and NA are at the point to clear the obstruction and not a Boko Haram attack.
“The command urges the general public to disregard the rumour and go about their lawful businesses as all hands were on deck to curtail any breakdown of law and order in the state.” Reacting in Oyo State, the State Police Command said the report was false and “a concoction of demented souls.”
According to the command’s spokesperson, Olabisi Okuwobi-Ilobanafor (SP), “It has come to the knowledge of Oyo State Police Command, the vicious rumour making the rounds through social media and text messages that 18 suspected Boko Haram members had laid siege to Lagos-Ibadan Express Road with AK47 rifles where it was claimed they killed nine policemen and 11 civilians.
The rumour is not only untrue but it is a concoction of lies that emanated from the minds of demented souls. “Members of the public are advised to discountenance the web of wicked lies and desist from assisting the rumour mongers to spread falsehood through their phones or social media.