Steve Agbota
There was palpable tension at the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) Truck Transit Park in Ijora, Lagos as truck drivers and the officers of the Lagos State taskforce clashed in the early hours of yesterday.
The tension, which allegedly led to the death of one of the truck drivers with two police vans set ablaze while other vehicles were destroyed.
As at the time of filing this report, two police Hilux vans were set ablaze by the truck drivers same for the Lilypond terminal gate, that housed the truck park.
The terminal was engulfed with bonfire as about two patrol vans and tens of other vehicles were destroyed by truckers.
Speaking with Daily Sun, the Vice Chairman, Apapa Gridlock Presidential Task Team, Kayode Opeifa said that the clash was not between Presidential Taskforce, saying the mayhem occured between the Lagos task force and the hoodlums.
He emphasised that the presidential taskforce was not involved but the Lagos taskforce who came to remove hoodlums residing under the Ijora bridge.
He said, “It is Lagos state taskforce. We are not the one. The task force went there to remove the touts under the bridge but information available to us has it that an issue between the enforcement team of the Lagos State taskforce working to clean up the hoodlums and after they left they came to the road and attacked people. Our job continues, though there were some arrests.”
Meanwhile, the Chairman, Association of Maritime Truck Owners (AMATO), Chief Remi Ogungbemi has said that the truck park was invaded by hoodlums who were backed by the Nigeria Police. He therefore, condemned the act and described it as barbaric.
Ogungbemi who disclosed that he wasn’t on ground to know what really happened, said it was the second time the attack was taking place.
He explained: “the version I heard is that there were sporadic gunshot by people who came with guns, matchet, shooting sporadically and they were led by the police. But, I don’t know whether they were Lagos or Port Authority police but I was made to understand that there were casualties though I am not sure but I must say this is the second time that such is happening and about two weeks ago, people led by police came matcheting people and this is happening today again. It is an invasion which is barbaric and I think the perpetrators should be brought to book.
When asked if they were officers of the presidential taskforce, Ogungbemi said, “I am not sure if they were the presidential task force; as I speak am in Abuja so I am not sure.”
Also, the Public Relations Officer of the Lagos state Taskforce, Taofeek Adebayo confirmed that the unit was at Ijora to clear miscreants from their hideout.
According to him, the hoodlums attacked the officers on lawful duty, injured officers of the team.
He said, “the operative of the Lagos State taskforce bursted Ijora Lilypond park when information reached us from members of the public that miscreants have hijacked the community. When our men visited the place, they were attacked with dangerous weapons by miscreants and our men sustaining injuries during the attack.”