There was drama at the Oando Filling Station in the Ojodu Berger area of Lagos State on Tuesday when angry youths assaulted a policeman who allegedly obstructed them from buying fuel at the station.
Scene of the incident
Some angry youths reportedly battered a policeman who allegedly obstructed them from buying petrol at the Oando Filling Station in the Ojodu Berger area of Lagos State on Tuesday.
As a result of the fuel scarcity, youths numbering over 50 had besieged the petrol station with different jerrycans as early as 4:00am.
The policeman whose name had yet to be ascertained, was attached to a Safer Highways Patrol unit and at about 9:00am, he and his colleagues got to the station and had an altercation with the youths who reportedly pounced on one of the policemen, beat him up, tore his uniform and took away the policeman’s cap.
It was learnt that some Rapid Response Squad operatives and Federal Road Safety Corps officers were observed cautioning the youths, who also accused the policemen of provoking them.
One of them, who gave his name only as Olamide, said the policeman had allegedly tortured a youth before they attacked him.
Scene of the incident
"I have been here since 6am to buy fuel. At some point, the attendants said they would not sell to people with jerrycans. We tried talking them out of that decision. Then, the policemen came to the scene, and started harassing people.
"One of the officers attacked a young man. So, some youths became angry and punched the policeman. The youths tore his uniform and one of the attackers escaped with the policeman’s cap."
A correspondent reported that the embattled policemen thereafter called for reinforcement from the RRS, which mobilised to the scene and stopped the rampaging youths, and the injured policeman was taken away in a van to an undisclosed hospital.
Another witness, who declined to give her name, said, "The policemen are still looking for the thug who escaped with the officer’s cap. The policeman was hit in the nose, and he staggered and fell. He was dealt with because he and other officers wanted to harass people who were already provoked by the fuel situation."
The RRS Commander, ACP Tunji Disu, who later came to the station, urged the youths to maintain calm. "In a rowdy situation like this, you cannot rule out policemen shouting at people. But everyone has to be calm and take things easy," he said.