2 wounded, 3 dead in a shootout

Three people were shot dead yesterday, during a
shootout between hoodlums and some officers
attached to the Federal Operations Zone A, Ikeja, of
the Nigerian Customs Service, NCS, at White Sand
community in Ijora Badia area of Lagos State.
Three others, among who was a Customs officer, also
sustained gunshot injuries.
According to Vanguard, trouble started when a man
named Ojo was allegedly attacked and stabbed to
death by some Hausa boys in the area. The Yoruba
youths in the area staged a protest that became
violent.
“For long, these Hausa boys have been
attacking people here. They waylay
people, dispose them of cash and
belongings. Even rulers of both ethnic
groups are aware of the issue.”Tajudeen
Shamsudeen, a resident in the community
said The demolition of shanties in the
community yesterday increased the
tension in the area.
While the Hausa community claim the demolition is
one-sided as its only their houses that were
demolished, the Yoruba community deny the claim
saying it was on the order of the state government.
In the course of the demolition, some Customs
officers, who residents of the area claim were invited
by the Seriki Hausa, the leader of the Hausa
community, stormed the community in three patrol
vehicles at about 2:30p.m.
They were alleged to have shot into the air to scare
off hoodlums in the area. The hoodlums were said to
have resisted the Customs officers who allegedly
attempted to stop the demolition, an action that led
to a shootout, during which three persons sustained
gunshot wounds.
One of the bullets from the hoodlums hit a Customs
officer who was later rushed to the hospital. One of
those hit by a stray bullet was identified to be Azeez
Tajudeen. Eyewitnesses said he was first taken to the
police station for a police report, before being
rushed to an undisclosed hospital.
Confirming the incident, the spokesperson of the
Lagos state Police command, Dolapo Badmus, said
contrary to eyewitnesses, only one person died
during the attack
“The community and the police were on a
joint operation of raiding black spots

within the community and arresting

suspected criminals yesterday. In the
process, some officers of the Nigerian
Customs Service officers, who were with
officials of the National Emergency
Management Agency, NEMA, had an
encounter with some of the hoodlums.
They fired some shots and three people
were hit. As a result, one death was
recorded, while two others are receiving
treatment in the hospital. Policemen are
not involved.”she said