Steve Agbota
One truck driver was feared dead, two Police Hilux vans set ablaze, and several other vehicles vandalised, yesterday, as members of the Lagos State Task Force and drivers clashed at the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) Truck Transit Park in Ijora, Lagos.
Vice Chairman, Apapa Gridlock Presidential Task Team, Kayode Opeifa, told Daily Sun that the clash occurred between the task force and hoodlums residing under the Ijora bridge.
“It is not the Presidential Task Force, but the Lagos state Task Force that came to dislodge the touts under the bridge. After the Lagos Task Force working to clean up the hoodlums left, they hoodlums came to the road and attacked people. There were some arrest,” said Opeifa.
Chairman, Association of Maritime Truck Owners (AMATO), Remi Ogungbemi, in his account, said the truck park was invaded by hoodlums who were backed by the Nigeria Police. Ogungbemi, condemned the act as barbaric
“People came with guns, machetes, shooting sporadically and they were led by police. But, I don’t know whether they are Lagos or Port Authority police. This is the second time this is happening; about two weeks ago people led by police came matcheting people. It is an invasion which is barbaric. The perpetrators should be brought to book,” he said.
Public Relations Officer of the Lagos state task force, Taofeek Adebayo, confirmed that the unit was at Ijora to clear miscreants from their hideout.
“The Lagos State Task Force busted Ijora Lilypond park when information reached us from the public that miscreants have hijacked the community. When our men visited the place, they were attacked with dangerous weapons and our men sustained injuries during the attack,” he said.