Tanker drivers on rampage in Lagos, burn 2 banks over police shooting of a member

Tanker drivers on Wednesday morning went on rampage at Apapa area of Lagos setting ablaze two commercial banks, Sterling and Diamond Banks.

The tanker drivers were protesting alleged killing of their colleague by a mobile policeman attached to one of the banks

It was alleged that the policeman, attached to one of the banks, had accosted and shot dead the driver for indiscriminate parking and blockade of the bank’s entrance.

According to witnesses, the unknown mobile policeman had approached the drivers to give way to bank customers but they refused.

He reportedly fired several gunshots in the air but one of the bullets hit the deceased driver, who bled to death.

While the policeman fled the scene, the deceased driver’s colleagues stormed Creek Road stabbing any policeman on sight, injuring at least three policemen, who were going about their businesses, before proceeding to set the banks ablaze.

Attempts by men of the Lagos State Fire Service, Iponri, who rushed to the scene to put out the fire, were rebuffed by the tanker drivers, leading to their leaving the area for fear of being assaulted by the rampaging drivers.

Newsmart gathered that it took the combined efforts of policemen from the Rapid Response Squad (RRS), Area B Command, operatives of the Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) BEECEOFT and their colleagues from Nigerian Army Signal Corps to contain the situation. They were able to prevent the rioters from also setting a tank farm around the area ablaze also.

And as is usually the case with similar incidents in Lagos, hoodlumssaw in the development an opportunity to loot the affected banks but were prevented by RRS operatives, led by its Commander, Tunji Disu, an Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP).

According to a senior police officer at the scene of the incident, “Those tanker drivers are very irrational. When the policemen attached to one of the banks shot at the tanker driver, they regrouped and stormed the bank in anger.

“They first demanded that the policeman, who shot their colleague be released to them. When their demands proved abortive, they took laws into their hands.

“They contributed fuel from their tanks and set the banks ablaze. The entire situation caused a stampede as both workers and bankers scrambled to escape from the back of the bank to safety.

“The drivers were still on rampage in the first bank when they heard that the policeman had taken refuge in the next bank.

“Armed with that information, they simply went over to the said bank and carried out same carnage, irrespective of the presence of innocent bystanders.

“They also attacked innocent policemen going about their different businesses. They stabbed no fewer than three policemen, who didn’t know what was happening.

“Six of them were arrested. The mobile man was also handed over to the DPO, Apapa. Calm has returned to the place now.”

Reacting to the arson, Sterling Bank said the mobile policeman ran into it premises to avoid being mobbed, urging customers at the branch to patronize nearby branches.

The bank said: “An armed mobile policeman fleeing from an irate mob after shooting a tanker driver disrupted banking operations at the Sterling Bank branch on Creek Road this morning. He ran into the premises of the bank to escape being lynched.

“Security operatives attached to the bank disarmed and arrested the fleeing mobile policeman but did not hand him over to the irate mob.

“The mob got upset and attacked the bank with the intention of unleashing mayhem on staff and customers. The branch’s reception area was vandalized and set ablaze.

“The security operatives attached to the branch prevented the mob from entering the branch while evacuating staff and customers before the arrival of police reinforcement. The branch has been temporarily shut down.

“We wish to inform all our customers that normal services will continue at nearby branches and through all our electronic channels.

“Sterling Bank is working with security agencies to resolve the issue.”

Source: The Nation

Share on Google Plus

About Newsmart