NSCDC officials shot cyclist dead for overtaking vehicle

*cyclist not dead, says NSCDC

Taiwo Jimoh

An officer of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) has allegedly shot a cyclist to death at the Oregun area of Lagos State for overtaking his vehicle.

The officer, attached to NSCDC Lagos State Police Command was said to have committed the crime at about 10am on Saturday at Alausa bus Stop. The NSCDC official was also said to have warned the cyclist not to overtake their vehicle.

The deceased, who was identified simply as Kunle, was said to be coming from Ojota where he went to drop passengers returning to Ikeja, when he saw the NSCDC officials also driving towards Ikeja.

The spokesperson for the NSCDC, Kenny Bada, while denying that the cyclist died, disclosed that he was only shot on the leg and had been discharged from the hospital. Bada, however, said the case was still under investigation

An eyewitness, Mrs. Mutiat Yeqeen, said what happened was just like a dream to her. She explained that the NSCDC officials warned the cyclist from overtaking them right from Oregun bus-stop when they were heading to Ikeja.

She said: "The officials first warned the cyclist at Oregun bus stop not to overtake their vehicle. I thought they were playing; some few minutes later, they got to Alausa Bus Stop and the next thing I heard was a gunshot.

"When we rushed to the scene, we saw the cyclist bleeding profusely. The NSCDC officials abandoned their van and fled. Unfortunately, one of them was held by angry mob and the deceased’s colleagues. Police came and took them away. Before the cyclist could be rushed to hospital, he died. The angry mob set the NSCDC’s patrol van on fire."

Yeqeen added: “I don’t understand why the NSCDC officials killed the cyclist for overtaking them. It is now a crime to overtake other vehicles on the road in Lagos State? They just wasted the man for his family members.”

Another resident of the area, who gave her name simply as Rasheedat said:  “The deceased was shot at close range. Immediately the cyclist was shot, the NSCDC officials took to their heels, abandoning their patrol van. But one of them was later caught. When the NSCDC had not been given arms by the federal government, people were clamouring for them to be given the gun, now that they’ve been given, they want to be killing Nigerians. I want to appeal to the police authority to investigate the matter properly, because they might want to cover the case up.

"Only God knows what the deceased’s wife and children are going through right now. Even policemen, who drive bullion vans, are not as reckless as the NSCDC. The excesses of NSCDC officials is becoming too much. They should be educated on how to deal with members of the public.”

A commercial cyclist, who spoke with our correspondent on condition of anonymity, disclosed that he was at Ikeja Park, waiting for passengers when he heard about the murder of his colleague.

He said: “Before we could get to the scene, he had lost a lot of blood. We were going to the hospital when he died. He was later deposited at Lagos State University Teaching Hospital. I don't understand why these NSCDC officials didn’t want Kunle to overtake them. Kunle was hustling for what to eat when he was killed.”