BY MAYOWA SAMUEL
The death of a commercial tricycle rider who was allegedly stabbed by a policeman for refusing to give him a bribe has sparked outrage from residents and transporters of Abule-Egba and Iyana-Ipaja areas of Lagos State.
Both areas witnessed violent protests on Thursday with some riders taking to the streets, bearing the corpse of their slain colleague.
Police officers drafted to the area by the state Commissioner of Police, Hakeem Odumosu, dispersed them, halting their match to the Meran Police station.
However, matters escalated during the efforts of the state anti-crime outfit, the Rapid Response Squad (RRS) to disperse the protesters, a stray bullet hit another man known to be a vulcaniser who died on the spot.
The environment got more tense as youths made a bonfire in the middle of the road.
Speaking to newsmen, a witness, Saidu Garuba, said “The protesters took the body of the vulcaniser in a tricycle and headed to the station. They were stopped along the way by a team of policemen who took away the corpse.”
Another witness, Shade Kilani, alleged that in the ensuing melee, a policeman who was apparently unaware of the crisis was dragged from a commercial bus and mobbed to death while reports also say that some hoodlums took advantage of the confusion to also attack passersby.
A member of the tricycle union in the area, Tajudeen Animashaun, bemoaned the extortion of members by policemen in the area which had reached a frightening peak before the killing of the rider.
The State’s Police Public Relations Officer, Adekunle Ajisebutu, who confirmed the development, said policemen deployed to the area have restored normalcy.
