Traders, Police clash claims two casualties in Ogun

The Olomore axis of Abeokuta,  Ogun State Capital was on Thursday thrown into pandemonium following a violent clash between officials of the Special Anti- Cultism team of the Police and traders, as two of the traders were allegedly shot.

Penpushing reports that, the source said trouble erupted when some police officers attached to Lafenwa Division  were allegedly pursuing some suspects believed to be notorious criminals in the area, but allegedly prevented  from being arrest by some of the traders

The stiff opposition of the alleged traders preventing the police in carrying out the arrest   made one of the officers attached to Anti-cultism squad  released  bullets that strayed and hit two traders in the market, and this immediately led to violent protest in the vicinity

Penpushing further reports that, number of protesters set up bonfire, as the protest spread to other areas, forcing many motorists to make urgent detour, and many passerbys took to their heels to various directions for safety of thief lives

The Ogun State Police Command Public Relations Officer, Abimbola Oyeyemi, while reacting to the development, confirmed that one of the officers attached to Anti-cultism squad mistakenly shot the two traders, explaining that the officer shot in the air to disperse the protesting traders, but his bullet mistakenly hit the two victims.

Penpushing also reports that, he  said the officer has been arrested and currently undergoing interrogation, adding that the Commissioner of Police, Kenneth Ebrimson, has ordered a full scale investigation into the case.

Hear him “what actually happened today was that our men at Lafenwa division received an information early in the morning by members of the public that there are some fracas at Olomore area. As a result of that, the DPO Lafenwa division mobilise some of his team and they went straight to the place”.

“One of the team that followed him to the place is anti-cultist team. On getting there, they were able to calm the situation down and they arrested four suspects among those who were causing troubles in that place. As the Police were about to move with the suspects, some hoodlums swept on them that they are not going to take those people away”.

“In a bid to scare those people away, one of the anti-cultist men fired into the air and unfortunately a straight bullet hit two men.  The men have been rushed to the hospital and they are responding to treatment”.

“The Commissioner of Police has ordered a full scale investigation into the case. The person who fired the shot have been ordered to be arrested and he is currently undergoing interrogation at the State Criminal Investigation Department.”

The police spokesman denied that the police came to the market to arrest internet fraudsters, adding, “I want to correct an impression because I have been online that it is as a result of police chasing some called yahoo boys and that was why they fired into the market.

“That is not true and that is not the position  of the case. They are not running after any yahoo boys. The Special Anti-Robbery Squad does not have anything to do with the incident. The team that has something to do with is the anti-cultist team. The problem is wherever people police men in black uniform, they will tagged them as SARS.”

Penpushing reports that, Oyeyemi said the command will release the outcome of the investigation to the public as soon as possible, adding, “whatever the outcome of the investigation is, we are going to brief the members of the public. The situation of things over there is under control and the people has been pacified.