Easter Sunday’s celebrations were rudely disrupted yesterday evening in Ifo area of Ogun State as youths in the area blocked both lanes of the Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway to protest against the death of a young man, Akeem Akinsanya allegedly shot by policemen.
The shooting occurred at Iyana Coker area of Ifo, a market community on the Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway. It occured yesterday, around 4:30 p.m.
Those injured in the attack were still being ascertained as of 7:00 p.m.
The 25-year-old man, was reportedly killed, according to his uncle, Habib Lawal, who said he witnessed the incident.
Mr Lawal disclosed that the plainclothes officers were in the area to arrest a man.
“They came to our area in a red Mazda 323 around 4:30 p.m. to arrest a man,” Mr Lawal said. “They arrested the man, but they started shooting into the air as they were about to drive away from the area.”
It was the sporadic shooting that led to the death of Mr Akinsanya and severe injury of many others. The injured were taken to the hospital.
Mr Lawal said the officers were arrested on the spot and were still being held at the police station in Ifo as of 7:45 p.m.
“We are all here to ensure that the police officers did not run away,” he said.
Ogun State police commissioner, Bashir Makama, said he was aware of the incident, and the officers suspected responsible have been arrested.
“They are from Zonal Intervention Squad, but I have ordered that they should be arrested in Ifo and brought to Abeokuta for disciplinary action,” Mr Makama said.
This incident is coming barely three weeks after Kolade Johnson was killed by a police bullet in Mangoro area of Agege motor road, Lagos, and a week after a young woman was shot dead while returning from a nightclub also in Lagos.
