Police and soldiers clash again in Lagos

Police officers and Soldiers clashed at Obanikoro, along the Ikorodu expressway in Lagos on Thursday, throwing the area into panic.

No deaths were recorded and no shots were fired in the crisis that lasted about two hours, but three officers of the Nigerian Army and a suspected police officer reportedly suffered injuries after being beaten up in the resulting fracas.

Clash of uniforms

According to eyewitnesses, trouble started around 8a.m. when police officers and state agency officials attached to the State Task Force, numbering about 30, tried to impound a car, belonging to an officer of the Nigerian Army.

The army officer was reportedly caught by the Task Force for taking the BRT lane, traditionally reserved for BRT and LAGBUS mass transit vehicles only, and was beaten up for refusing to let his car be towed off.

An eyewitness, who identified himself as Dominic said another army officer, who had tried to interfere, was also beaten and locked up in the truck (Black Maria) brought by the Task Force unit.

"Everything was like straight from the movies," he said. "They (Task Force) stopped him for taking the BRT lane. They tried to tow his vehicle away with their truck but he resisted, so they beat him up seriously till he was unconscious. They were kicking and pulling and just beating him. They also beat another soldier that was passing on a motorcycle after he challenged them."

Another eyewitness, who requested anonymity, said the situation got worse when soldiers stopping to have a look at the thrashing, grew in number.

After reaching a sizable number, the soldiers reportedly came to their colleagues' defence by fighting back.

He said, "The police started retreating when the number of soldiers reached about eight; the soldiers charged and caught one of the officers attached to the unit, who was not in uniform, but in a black T-shirt and a black pair of trousers."

Eyewitnesses said other members of the Task Force unit, who had already retreated only watched their colleague being beaten by the soldiers, from about 50 metres away.

"The soldiers beat the officer not in uniform till he was unconscious; they just kept on beating him and his people were only watching from afar," said an eyewitness, Akeem Olusa.

All the while, the soldier initially beaten up by the officers attached to the State Task Force had been revived, and had taken a seat on a kerb by the road.

Mr Olusa said the soldiers later fled the scene after suspecting that the Brigadier Commander, 9th Brigade of the Nigeria Army, Ikeja, Sanusi Muazu, was on his way, to quell the crisis.

This also paved way for the Task Force officers to pull away their colleague and flee the scene.

Police and Army react

This followed an incident that played out about four weeks ago in Badagry, where suspected soldiers attacked and killed three police officers, including Salihu Samuel, a chief superintendent of police and the divisional police officer of Badagry Police station.

The state police spokesperson, Samuel Jinadu, denied any connection with the Badagry killings, adding that no death was recorded. Also speaking on the issue, Mr Muazu, described the situation as unfortunate, stressing that the police and army still maintain a good relationship.

Mr Muazu confirmed that he had had the soldier arrested, and blamed the soldier for taking the BRT lane. He further said the Task Force unit was right to have stopped the soldier, adding that disciplinary actions would follow.

Mr Muazu took the opportunity to warn all operatives of the armed forces to desist from flouting the rules of the state.

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