• Hoodlums resisting arrest broke vehicles with
stones – Police
Samson Folarin
Residents of Idi - Oro, Mushin , have accused
operatives of the Lagos State Police Command
of invading 14 streets and vandalising no fewer
than 200 vehicles.
However , the police command denied the
allegations , saying hoodlums resisting police
arrest damaged the vehicles with stones .
But residents who spoke to PUNCH Metro on
Thursday alleged that the operatives aside from
damaging vehicles parked by the roadsides , also
entered into mechanic workshops and
destroyed the cars they found there.
At least 40 generators belonging to residents
were allegedly taken away by the policemen ,
whom residents claimed wanted to avenge the
death of a police sergeant , Abam Mohammed ,
who was killed during a shootout with drug
dealers .
PUNCH Metro had reported that a drug dealer
had taken delivery of hemp valued at N7 m on
Monday.
On Tuesday , a police team from the Area D
Command , acting on intelligence , stormed the
community and recovered the hemp .
Hoodlums and some residents allegedly
attacked the policemen with broken bottles and
stones , as the operatives retreated and returned
with reinforcements .
In a shootout that ensued between the two
sides, the police sergeant and three others were
killed .
On Wednesday , some residents alleged that
policemen invaded their streets , looted property
and damaged their vehicles.
The affected streets , according to them, are
Alhaji , Ogunmokun , Awoyejo , Umoru , Elegba ,
Alhaji Lasisi, Smith , Amodu , Ibrahim, Akala ,
Ojo , Anuoluwapo, Opeloyeru and Adegbite .
When our correspondent visited the area on
Thursday, the residents lamented their loss .
A trader on Alhaji Lasisi Street , Kike Ajiboye ,
who sold drinks, said her car was vandalised
and three coolers of drinks emptied.
She said , “ My car is my moble shop . I use it to
sell drinks at parties . The policemen , who were
in uniforms, came in around 7 . 30 pm on
Wednesday . There were many trucks. I was
surprised when they started breaking
windscreens . They vandalised my car and took
all the wines in three coolers. After they
emptied my coolers, they punctured the four
tryes. The money I made that day , which was
in the car , was stolen .
“ I took my goods on credit from LAPO
( microfinance bank). How do I pay back over
N100, 000? There is an armoured tank and a
police patrol van at the junction and I thought
that would guarantee our safety . They threw
bottles at us because they knew we were
watching from inside . ”
Another trader, Mrs Adebisi Adetula, alleged
that the cops damaged her Ford car and ruined
her family business .
She said , “ We could not come out. My Ford car
that was destroyed was my family’ s means of
livelihood. My son , who graduated four years
ago , uses it to supply gas in the neighbourhood .
Now , what will he use ?”
A transport worker , Taofik Ojedele, whose bus
was vandalised , claimed that he saw the
policemen with knives with which they
punctured vehicle tyres.
A food seller on Elegba Street , Jelila Kareem,
showed our correspondent her store, which she
alleged was razed by the cops.
“ As we were trying to put out the fire , they
chased us away with guns . Everything was
burnt , ” she added .
A mechanic, Semiu Jimoh , said seven vehicles,
including Lexus , Mitsubishi , Kia , Toyota
Corolla , Toyota RAV 4, belonging to his
customers , were vandalised .
Jimoh , who said he was initially arrested by the
policemen , alleged that they broke into a
workshop where he kept some of the cars and
damaged them .
“ They were more than 200 . They were broke
into houses and took property . They came to
my house and arrested me as well . They broke
the fence of my workshop and damaged the
four cars there. I don ’ t know what to tell the
owners of the cars . I am in serious debt , ” he
added .
He said many residents took away their cars
because the policemen threatened to return .
A trader on Amodu Street , Bintu Rosulu, alleged
that her noodles shop was burgled , saying
drinks and phones were taken away .
An 80 - year - old woman , Alhaja Rabiu Titilayo ,
said her house door was broken down by the
policemen around 9 pm .
“ When they came in, I told them not to take
away my grandchildren who were taking care
of me . They asked me to sit down . They
collected my torchlight and some phones in the
house . One of the children they arrested was
released after we paid N8 , 000, ” she added .
Some other residents on Amodu Street claimed
that the policemen broke the doors and carted
away bags of rice and money they made from
sales .
“ They took away my bag of rice , ” a housewife ,
Shakirat Abdulsalam , said .
A woman who had a provision store on
Anuoluwapo Street , Mrs . Raheem Mariam , said
the policemen took bottles of drink in the three
freezers in the shop .
A home video shop beside her, owned by her
son , was reportedly vandalised as well .
“ They took toothpastes , canned fish, eggs and
drinks. They opened the video shop with an axe
and took phones and power banks , ” she said .
A landlord on the street , Folorunsho Oladele ,
who claimed to be ill, said the operatives hit
him with the butts of their guns .
“ They were saying , ‘ Na you kill police . ’ There
were three of them. They beat me up and
collected the N25 , 000 I wanted to use for a
surgical operation. They spent about two hours
on the street , ” he added .
The head of a branch of the Christ Apostolic
Church in the area, Pastor Joshua Oluwagbemi,
said a service was on in the church when the
operatives stormed the street .
He said he ended the service and was left with
a few members .
He said , “ The policemen came in and asked
what we were doing . I told them we were in a
church . They shouted at me to close the door .
Suddenly , they started shooting outside . They
turned off my generator . Next , they smashed
the windscreens of vehicles on the whole
street . They didn ’ t take anything from my car .
They only damaged the windscreen and side
glasses . ”
A food seller , Mrs. Akiyode Iyabo, said the
policemen took away seven phones from the
shop , adding that all the money made from the
day ’ s sales was taken.
“ My brother was about to turn off the
generator when they held him . They beat him
to a pulp and took all the phones in the
canteen . Aside from the money we realised
from sales that they took , they collected about
N70 , 000 meant for a daily contribution. The
policemen were in uniform and were heavily
armed , ” she said .
A resident , Oluwadamilare Adele , said a car he
bought in December was damaged .
Two other traders said pieces of meat and
bottles of wine were taken from their shops by
the cops.
PUNCH Metro learnt that a resident was shot and
was taken away by the policemen .
A man claimed that his wife, Taiye Amodu , was
arrested in the house , while a mechanic, Taiwo
Hassan , was arrested shortly after he returned
from work.
Our correspondent also saw a bet shop and a
barber ’ s that were vandalised .
The cops allegedly entered into the adjoining
shop of the bet centre by breaking the wall .
A resident said , “ More than 200 vehicles were
vandalised on the streets . Many people have
taken away their cars because the policemen
said they were coming back. ”
The state Police Public Relations Officer, SP
Chike Oti , said the police raided the community
on Wednesday and arrested 255 suspects .
He said hoodlums , while resisting arrest and
throwing stones at the police team, broke the
windscreens .
He said , “ The Commissioner of Police , Lagos
State , Edgal Imohimi , on Thursday paraded the
255 suspects arrested during the raid on Akala -
Mushin and Idi - Oro areas of Lagos State .
“ The raid on criminal hideouts in these areas
became pertinent because of the brazen nature
criminals living among the people attack
residents and law enforcement officers.
“ Sequel to this , the CP ordered a raid on
identified criminal enclaves in Akala - Mushin
and Idi - Oro. During the raid , the criminal
elements resisted the police by hurling stones
and different types of missiles at them,
breaking windscreens of some vehicles parked
by the roadside .
“ This did not deter the police from arresting
255 suspects, comprising 246 males and nine
females , and seizing 39 big bags of weed,
suspected to be Indian hemp , and recovering
two pump - action rifles and ammunition .
“ The CP vowed that the command would not
rest until drug peddlers , cult members and
armed criminals are rid from the streets of
Lagos . The command advises parents ,
guardians and stakeholders to warn theitheir
children and wards to stay off criminal
enclaves and avoid mingling with criminals .
The CP added that the raid would continue in
all places identified by police intelligence unit
as black spots. ”
He said investigation into the case had been
concluded and all the suspects had been
charged to court .https://punchng.com/lagos-residents-accuse-police-of-vandalising-200-vehicles/

If the Nigerian Police can resort to vandalism where their key responsibility is to maintain law and order, it is as good as not having them at all. what kind of training is the police institution giving to its personnel prior to commissioning?

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Some people are fond of lying just to justify their claims.

My car is my moble shop . I use it to
sell drinks at parties . The policemen , who were
in uniforms, came in around 7 . 30 pm on
Wednesday . There were many trucks. I was
surprised when they started breaking
windscreens . They vandalised my car and took
all the wines in three coolers. After they
emptied my coolers, they punctured the four
tryes. The money I made that day , which was
in the car , was stolen .
“ I took my goods on credit from LAPO
( microfinance bank). How do I pay back over
N100, 000?

While not justifying the police extreme action, the truth is that some of the street mentioned needs to be grounded, they are notorious neighborhood.

Realdeals:
Some people are fond of lying just to justify their claims.


While not justifying the police extreme action, the truth is that some of the street mentioned needs to be grounded, they are notorious neighborhood.

why will police vandalize vehicles when they are not area boys......everything written by punch was what happened on Wednesday night....police know where drug dealers are... why did they vandalized vehicle where nothing of such exist..... Nigeria police force is a disgrace..........when those who are suppose to protect you are the same people that turned out to be armed robber in uniform.......they rob people of their hard earned money....am very sorry for npf

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