Soldiers, Residents Clash In Lagos

Some unidentified soldiers have reportedly gunned down a man during a clash in the Otto area of Lagos State mainland.

The soldiers were deployed to secure some Chinese workers carrying out maintenance construction along the railway tracks but have been at loggerheads with some boys, known as ‘Omo onile’ in the area.

A source who spoke to Punch said the area boys constantly had issues with the construction workers, resorting to using soldiers since the police could no longer handle them.

The source said, “The Chinese workers have stopped using the police because they feel like the police could not handle the boys. So they brought soldiers.”

Commenting on the incident, the Lagos State Police Command Public Relations Officer, Benjamin Hundeyun, said the Railway Command was in charge of the area.

He said, “It’s not under our jurisdiction but that of the Railway Command.”

But a source in the police command who confirmed the incident expressed displeasure over the continued atrocities allegedly committed by Lagos soldiers.

The police source said, “It happened around 1 pm in the Ebutte Meta/Otto area. It is becoming too much. We can’t continue like this. I also have my family in Lagos.

“Will people just be dying in the hands of soldiers anyhow? It has to stop. Whenever they come out for that kind of mission, they don’t wear tags, so you can’t identify or trace them.”