Illegal train passengers kill journalist in Lagos

The scene of the incident

Some illegal train passengers, who were hanging on a moving train at the Ikeja Along bus stop, Lagos have attacked two journalists, causing the death of one of them.

PUNCH Metro learnt that the miscreants had jumped off the train on Tuesday at about 9am and attacked the journalists.

The miscreants were said to have accused the journalists of filming them with the intention of exposing their antics through their medium.

It was learnt that the pressmen had fled for their lives, but the attackers gave them a chase, causing one of the journalists to run into the path of an oncoming commercial bus.

He was said to have died while being taken to a hospital in the area.

When our correspondent visited the area, the victim’s corpse was said to have been deposited at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, Ikeja.

Some officials of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority at the bus stop also confirmed the death of the pressman, adding that illegal train passengers on moving trains usually mobbed whoever they suspected was filming them.

A LASTMA official, who preferred anonymity, said, “I saw when the two men arrived here. They parked their vehicle inside a compound here and brought out their equipment to do an interview by the highway. They told the security men at the compound that their interview would last 15 to 20 minutes.

“Minutes later, I heard that there was an accident. Some eyewitnesses told us that some illegal train passengers had pursued some men into the path of an oncoming vehicle. When I got there, I realised that it was one of the two pressmen. He had been knocked down by a commercial bus; he was bleeding and unconscious.

“We later learnt that while the two men were having their interview by the roadside, some illegal train passengers had jumped down and accused the pressmen of filming them. They hit the two men with planks and as the duo fled, they chased them. In the process, the two men were pursued into the path of an oncoming bus. One of them was crushed and died before he could get medical attention.”

A seller along the highway, identified simply as Olamide, said, “A woman driving a jeep took the victim to the LASUTH, but he died on the way. Actually, this is not the first time miscreants hanging on train would attack people suspected to be filming them.

“Sometime they even attack LASTMA officials. If your phone is ringing and you dare pick it while the train is passing, they will jump down and attack you.”

The security man at the compound where the press men had parked their vehicle, Mr. Usman Adogo, told PUNCH Metro that the journalists informed him that they were from Alausa, Ikeja.

He said, “The men got here at about 8.30am. They had parked their vehicle and said they wanted to conduct an interview.

“The accident was fatal and the man died before getting to the hospital. One Mr. Abdul Lateef later came to pick the vehicle. He also told me that the pressmen were from Alausa, Ikeja.”

The Public Relations Officer of the Nigerian Railway Corporation, Lagos District, Mr. Ademuyiwa Adekanmbi, while confirming the death, added that the incident had been reported to the police, while some of the attackers had been arrested.

He said, “Yes, we have a report of that incident, and the police have been informed. This morning, the police went to the area, and made some arrests. Actually, I don’t have the names of the victim yet. On our part, we don’t encourage miscreants to hang on trains, and that is why we constantly make raids.”

The Assistant Commissioner of Police in charge of Railway Command, Lagos, Kola Okunola, said the command had yet to get a report on the incident.

The Lagos State police spokesperson, Ngozi Braide, promised to call our correspondent back on the incident
PUNCH