Gunshots rock Lagos as police kill two cyclists

Residents of Ogba in Lagos State scampered for safety between Thursday night and today morning (Friday) as sporadic gunshot rented the atmosphere.

According to eyewitnesses accounts, commercial cyclists and policemen clashed on Thursday following the death of two cyclists in the hands of policemen from Pen Cinema Police Station.

The crisis grounded commercial activities and forced motorists to keep away from the axis.

The two cyclists were alleged to have been killed on Thursday while resisting policemen from Pen Cinema Police Station to seize their motorcycles on the grounds that they were plying restricted areas.

It was further claimed that grieving members of the cyclists mobilised today and staged a violent protest armed with machetes and other dangerous weapons.

An eyewitness said: “The cyclists marched to Area G Police Command today and attempted to take over the station. The police repelled them and quickly locked their gate.”

Another eyewitness said: “Policemen came from Pen Cinema to Ogba to seize motorcycles from some cyclists. There was resistance and heated quarrel. The argument snowballed and then the police shot and killed two cyclists. They also seized many motorcycles. This happened on Thursday and by Friday other cyclists regrouped and came out to protest.”

Strangely, the Lagos State Police Command has maintained a studied silence on the matter. While the Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) Muyiwa Adejobi, said he was not in town and couldn’t comment on the shootings, he referred our reporter to the Lagos State Commissioner of Police (CP), Hakeem Odumosun, who didn’t pick his calls.

The mayhem caused twitter to buzz, with Ogba shooting trending. It was the top discussion in the morning hours, with people warning others to avoid Ogba, in order to avoid stray bullets.

A twitter user, Eri FARUKU@Mudacriss, said: “Motorcyclists were seen protesting on Ajayi Road, Ogba and they refused to take passengers. They were protesting because police officers (allegedly) shot at motorcyclists within the Ogba area yesterday, one died immediately and two others are at the hospital (not confirmed).”

Another user G. Miles@gheephat, said: “An attempt made by one policeman to arrest one of these Hausa bikers plying the main road which leads to Argument between them and inviting others to halt the arrest, thereby leading to death for one of the aboki.”

The image maker, had, however, quickly taken out time to mention that the fire incident at Oshodi Market, was not a bomb as was being rumoured.

His words: “On the Oshodi Inferno, the CP said it was not caused by bombing or explosives. The case is being investigated by Police and experts. The CP has debunked the rumour that the Oshodi market inferno was caused by bombing or explosives.  The public is hereby urged to disregard such news or rumour. The CP visited the scene today Friday in company of Explosive Ordnance Disposal Unit (EOD) operatives to assess the scene and give their expert opinion.  And no element of explosive was recovered from the scene. So no explosives were used.”