Police  Headquarters

Chiemelie Ezeobi

Barely three days after a 12-man gang of armed robbers stormed Lagos, killing about seven persons, including three police officers, one of the victims, a civilian, Sikiru Abiodun, who was shot on both legs and thighs, died Tuesday from complications.

The victim, who was rushed to Gbagada General Hospital alongside other victims of the attack including one-year-old Taiye, was said to have died on Monday night during a surgery to dislodge the bullets in his legs and thighs.

The death of the 26-year-old has however been blamed on the police by the deceased’s friends and relatives.

Speaking on condition of anonymity, one of the deceased’s friends who claimed to be in the car when they were attacked, said the bullet met Abiodun because the police had stopped their car.

He said, “We were driving towards Roundabout Bus Stop to buy chicken when we were accosted by policemen in a white Golf Volkswagen with registration number Ogun AE581GBN.

“The policemen parked in front of us and ordered us to come out of the car. We obeyed and it was then the robbers came out from nowhere and started shooting at us.”

He said the attempt by the police to shoot back infuriated the robbers and they retaliated by shooting indiscriminately in their direction.

He claimed that the other policemen fled to safety leaving their colleague who was hit by the bullet inside the car, adding that the robbers also took the officer’s gun with them.

THISDAY learnt that after the robbers had left, some residents broke the windscreen of the policemen in anger for abandoning them when the robbers were operating.

The source added that the policemen only came out of hiding to carry their colleague to the hospital after the robbers had gone.

He said, “The policemen only took their injured colleague to the hospital and left Abiodun, who sustained series of gunshot wounds, behind. It was sympathisers that later drove him to the hospital.”

Attempts to confirm the incident from the state Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Ngozi Braide proved abortive as she disclosed that she was undergoing an interview by one of the media houses.

Meanwhile, in the same hospital, the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) official, Sosan Moruf, who was shot by the robbers, is set to be discharged.

According to the LASTMA official, he was controlling traffic at Anthony Bus Stop when two guys on a motorcycle and wielding guns drove past.

He said he initially thought they were policemen until they shot him in the leg and sped off. He disclosed that he was rushed to the hospital by commercial motorcycle riders.

The LASTMA Public Relations Officer, Bola Ajao, who spoke to some crime reporters, said Sosan was responding to treatment, adding that his bill was handled by the agency.