One killed, many injured as NURTW party turns bloody

A 32-year-old man, identified simply as Rasheed, a member of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), Ojodu Berger branch, has been stabbed to death during a party that turned bloody on Tuesday night.

Eye witnesses said that Rasheed was outside an event centre at River Valley Estate, Ogun State, receiving a call, when some armed men rushed to him and attempted to collect his phone.

When he started struggling with them over the possession of the phone, one of them whipped out a dagger and stabbed him in the neck.

When Rasheed’s friends found him in the pool of blood, they tried to rush him to the nearest hospital, but he died on the way.

The death of Rasheed led to pandemonium with members of NUTRW chanting war songs, demanding for retribution. It was also alleged that some unknown hoodlums used the opportunity to start stealing from traders. They mayhem was said to have started on Tuesday around 10pm during NURTW’s get together party tagged, ‘First Lagos.’

Mr. Kunle Idowu, a member of NURTW, said: “We were inside the event centre, when we heard the noise of people fighting outside. Some of us rushed out of the venue to see what was happening outside. We saw Rasheed in a pool of his blood. Immediately, some of his friends tried to rush him to a private hospital. He, however, died on the way to the hospital.”

When the men realized Rasheed was dead, they turned back. They were arrested by policemen from Ojodu Police Station, who demanded to know how they came to be in possession of a corpse.

Idowu said: “We stayed back at the venue, dousing tension and pacifying some of his friends, who wanted to make trouble.”

Another member of NURTW, who refused to mention his name, said: “We’re a social group in NURTW. This is not the first time we would be gathering to dance and wine. Those who caused the crisis, are hoodlums we prevented from entering the venue of the party. We knew some of them would want to attend the party.

“There was a serious commotion when news of Rasheed’s broke out. Some traders on the roadside scampered for safety as some of the hoodlums used the opportunity to loot trader’s wares.”

Mrs. Dupe Adelaja, a trader, alleged that some of the policemen stationed at Ojodu Berger under bridge were not doing enough.

She said: “On Tuesday morning before the party started, some of members NURTW were smoking India hemp freely in public without being challenge by the security agents. Some of us, who were still outside, selling on the roadside when the incident started, lost some of our goods. The hoodlums went on the rampage, protesting the murder of their friend. They also attacked passersby.

“I beg the Lagos State Government and the police to pay more attention to Ojodu Berger under bridge and the state public works corporation office as some of the hoodlums’ are always there, smoking freely.”

One of the executives of NURTW, who didn’t want his name mentioned, said: “We warned everyone not to foment trouble at the party. Before the party was organised, they had been warned by the state chairman of the union from Abeokuta. The death of the victim was an unfortunately incident.”

The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), SP Abimbola Oyeyemi, confirmed the incident. He said that four suspects were arrested in connection with the murdered of the Rasheed.

Oyeyemi said: “The suspects were arrested with the corpse in a pool of his blood. The Commissioner of Police, Ahmed Iliyasu, however, ordered that the suspects be transferred to the homicide section of the command, Eleweran Abeokuta, Ogun State, for further investigation.”