Lagos: Police Quell Chaos After Deadly Traders/Land grabbers Clash
By Anne Osemekeh, Abuja
The Lagos State Police Command says it has restored normalcy and calm in the Owode Onirin area of Lagos state following the recent unrest caused by a deadly clash between traders and land grabbers in the area.
The state Command’s spokesperson, CSP Benjamin Hundeyin, disclosed this in a statement on Wednesday.
According to him, a deadly face off between traders and land grabbers led to the breakdown of law and order in the area as roads and highways leading in and out of the Owode Onirin market were blocked by the hoodlums.
Consequently, the Commissioner of Police in the state, CP Olohundare Jimoh, personally led a combined team of police detachment comprising personnel of the Command’s operations department, the Police Mobile Force, Rapid Response Squad, Tactical squads and Detectives from the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) to the affected area and normalcy was restored. The roads were reopened to traffic and people started going about their lawful businesses.
Hundeyin revealed that three persons were fatally injured in the fracas and later confirmed dead when they were rushed to the hospital by the police. Also seriously injured was a Police Inspector who is currently in a critical and life-threatening condition at the hospital where he is receiving treatment.
“To sustain the normalcy, the Commissioner of Police has retained the deployment of adequate police personnel at the scene of the incident to prevent resurgence of the crisis”, Hundeyin stated.
Meanwhile, preliminary investigation and prima facie evidences available identifies one Abiodun Ariori, CEO of Prosperous Ariori Golden Venture Limited, currently at large, as being connected to the deadly clash between the traders and the land grabbers, and who has been declared wanted by the Lagos State Police Command.
While calling on the wanted suspect to turn himself in to the police, the Command urged the general public to report to the nearest police station or call the Lagos State Police Command control room on 08063299264, 09053872208, 08127155150, if seen.
Hundeyin also said that four policemen, who were brought in from outside Lagos State by the wanted suspected land grabber, have been identified and detained at the Command headquarters for orderly room trial for engaging in illegal duty with the wanted suspect, and assured that “the outcome of the investigation into the case and the trial of the policemen will be made public”.
