Seven operatives of the Department
of State Services had been reportedly killed in the Ikorodu area of Lagos
State. The security operatives were
reportedly killed in the Ishawo Road area of Ikorodu on Tuesday during an
encounter with suspected pipeline vandals.
of State Services had been reportedly killed in the Ikorodu area of Lagos
State. The security operatives were
reportedly killed in the Ishawo Road area of Ikorodu on Tuesday during an
encounter with suspected pipeline vandals.
It was learnt that the incident
happened around 7pm on Tuesday.
happened around 7pm on Tuesday.
A Punch correspondent was told that the
vandals, who were suspected to be Ijaw youths, made away with the dead
operatives’ weapons after killing them. The incident was the second of such
attacks within two week by vandals on security operatives in the area.
vandals, who were suspected to be Ijaw youths, made away with the dead
operatives’ weapons after killing them. The incident was the second of such
attacks within two week by vandals on security operatives in the area.
On August 30, four policemen from
the Special Anti-Robbery Squad and Owutu Police Division were attacked. Three
of the policemen died while the last one was injured.
the Special Anti-Robbery Squad and Owutu Police Division were attacked. Three
of the policemen died while the last one was injured.
There were, however, different
versions of how the DSS operatives were killed.
versions of how the DSS operatives were killed.
A resident of the area, Jimoh
Adebiran, said the operatives had gone to a primary school in the community for
an event when they had a confrontation with the vandals.
Adebiran, said the operatives had gone to a primary school in the community for
an event when they had a confrontation with the vandals.
Adebiran narrated, “The whole thing
started in a school where the officers had gone for a function. The vandals,
who were at the school, thought the DSS men had come to attack them.
started in a school where the officers had gone for a function. The vandals,
who were at the school, thought the DSS men had come to attack them.
“There was an exchange of words.
Later, the vandals opened fire on the DSS operatives and killed seven of them.”
Later, the vandals opened fire on the DSS operatives and killed seven of them.”
Another resident, Omose Adedipe,
said the operatives had come to the community to buy fuel for their official
vehicles.
said the operatives had come to the community to buy fuel for their official
vehicles.
Adedipe, a motorcycle rider, said
the officers knew that fuel was sold at cheap rates in the community.
the officers knew that fuel was sold at cheap rates in the community.
“They never had any plan to attack
the vandals. But the Ijaw youths saw the guns in their vans and mistook their
mission for something else, resulting in the bloodshed,” he said.
the vandals. But the Ijaw youths saw the guns in their vans and mistook their
mission for something else, resulting in the bloodshed,” he said.
But a police source said the
officers were in the community to apprehend the vandals after getting
information that they had started to siphon fuel from a broken pipeline
belonging to the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation.
officers were in the community to apprehend the vandals after getting
information that they had started to siphon fuel from a broken pipeline
belonging to the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation.
He said the men were, however,
spotted by the vandals, who opened fire on them.
spotted by the vandals, who opened fire on them.
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