By Nicholas Ojo
During a fracas between police and Naval officers at Oluti area of the Satellite town of Lagos State, one Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) was stabbed to death, while three other passersby sustained varying degrees of injuries in the bloody clash.
Quest Times gathered that two Naval ratings, Onyekachi Egwumain, 27 and Ebubechukwu Growth, 28, were arrested, while the other two erring ratings attached to the Nigerian Navy Central Pay Office, Apapa are said to be on the run, following the death of the officer.
The incident reportedly caused heavy pandemonium in the area as shop owners fled for fear of being caught up in the fight. While many people were injured as the angry naval personnel were said to have attacked passersby who tried to mediate in the clash between the two security agencies.
An eyewitness said a police patrol team was arguing over an undisclosed issue with some navy officers. He said he had stopped to see if he could wade in and settle the dispute, but that the naval personnel went wild and began to fight the policemen.
A police officer, who spoke on the condition of anonymity said: “The naval personnel stabbed our men with jack knives. We were able to rush our men and three other passersby to Adeyemi Private Hospital, but ASP Abion Hezikel could not make it as he was confirmed dead by the doctor on duty. Anyway, the other officers and three passersby who were so stabbed were treated and discharged.
“Two of the naval personnel have been arrested while two others are at large, but we have reported the incident to the military authorities to enable them to release the other two fleeing personnel of the Navy.”
The Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), SP Benjamin Hundeyin, confirmed the attack on policemen on duty, adding that the case was under investigation.
He said the case had been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department (SCIID), Panti, Yaba, Lagos, while the corpse of the deceased had been deposited at a public mortuary in Yaba.
However, the Command Information Officer, Western Naval Command, Edward Yeibo, said that the fracas started as a result of a traffic infraction between two naval ratings and some policemen in the area.
“Some policemen arrived at the scene on a motorcycle and started firing. Presently, an investigation is being conducted to ascertain the actual cause of the incident. The outcome of the investigation would be made public,” he said.