According to pmnewsnigeria.com Irate soldiers went on the rampage on Friday morning at Palmgroove area of Ikorodu Road in Lagos, western Nigeria, and burnt at least eight BRT-LAG buses and vandalised 20 others, after their colleague was allegedly crushed to death on a BRT lane; although a military spokesman on radio claimed that the buses were burnt by street urchins, also known as area boys.
Witnesses said two soldiers were on motorcycle, riding on a BRT lane, when they were hit by a LAGBUS at 9 am, leaving one of them dead and the other slightly injured. Unconfirmed reports later claimed that none of the soldiers died.
The soldier who was said to have died, P.M.NEWS learnt, was on the back seat of the motorcycle when tragedy struck. Small motorcycles are banned from plying both expressways and BRT lanes in Lagos State.
Witnesses said the second soldier then rushed to a nearby barracks and mobilised his colleagues to the accident scene. Immediately the soldiers arrived, they swung into action, taking laws into their hands and vandalising all the Rapid Transit Buses in sight.
They sent passengers and bus drivers scampering for safety as they unleashed their anger on the buses and spread panic around the area. A female soldier was captured on camera smashing the windshield of one of the buses.
The chaos and pandemonium led to traffic snarls with commuter bus drivers turning back or increasing their fares.
It was learnt that there was pandemonium in the area when about 100 soldiers suddenly emerged from the barracks and took over Ikorodu Road and started unleashing terror on passers-by as many took to their heels to avert being killed.
The soldiers blocked the expressway on both sides causing severe traffic gridlock, while some people abandoned their cars and took to their heels.
Policemen could not confront the irate soldiers who were well armed and ready to kill anyone who dared to confront them. Officials of the Lagos State Traffic Management, LASTMA, had to remove their uniforms to disguise themselves to avoid being attacked by the angry soldiers. Drivers and passengers inside BRT fled as the rampaging soldiers attacked them. Passengers of smaller buses had to abandon the buses and run for their lives.
In Fadeyi, signs that this was no ordinary traffic snarl were apparent, as most BRT and LAGBUSES were damaged. Traffic stretched from Obanikoro to Mile 12 and thousands of commuters were stranded, watching helplessly as men on military uniform went on the rampage. The entire road was deserted, while commuter buses coming from Ojota refused to pick passengers to Yaba area as all they avoided Ikorodu road completely.
The soldiers were said to have beaten up anybody on sight. They beat up drivers and passengers or anyone who moved close to try to take their pictures. Read more pmnewsnigeria.com
