Operatives of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) have allegedly killed two protesters during the Yoruba Nation agitators’ rally in the Ojota area of mainland Lagos State.
A Yoruba Nation group had planned to hold a “Super Mega” rally on Monday January 9, 2023 in Ojota to continue their demand for a separate country from Nigeria.
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However, videos and photos of the incident, shared on social media, suggest that there was a clash between police and members of the group. However, the police said that there was no such thing.
Videos online also show teargas billowing into the air. Two trucks which appeared to belong to the police were also caught in flames.
A Twitter user, YorubaGlobalYouth, shared a picture of a lifeless man and a video reportedly captured during the riot.
The user captioned the multimedia elements as follows: “BREAKING NEWS! TWO PEOPLE HAVE BEEN REPORTED KILLED BY THE NIGERIAN POLICE AT THE YORUBA NATION OJOTA PEACEFUL MEGA RALLY TODAY 9TH JANUARY, 2023. IT WAS MEANT TO BE PEACEFUL!!!”
Another user, Dami Adenuga also described the area as unsafe due to the clash between the police and some people he termed as members of the Oodua People Congress (OPC).
He said, “Ojota is currently unsafe as a shootout is ongoing between the Police and members of the OPC. Please retweet for others to be aware, may we not start 2023 with tragedy abeg .”
“Ojota currently unsafe… shooting between police and OPC guys @giditraffic,” another user, Oyindamola, said.
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“I witnessed the shooting narrowly escaped with my colleague now,” she added.
Also, GoldMyneTv further revealed that several vehicles were burnt during the clash.
“Ongoing Civil unrest around Ojota, Lagos. Multiple gunshots, vehicles burnt as people scampered for safety. @rrslagos767 mobilized to restore calm. Kindly avoid area for now,” the user added.
Confirming the incident was the police spokesperson in the state, Benjamin Hundeyin, noting that a yet-to-be-identified man lost his life in the unrest.
He said “normalcy has returned,” to the area.
“Yoruba Nation agitators came out to disrupt normal activities and the police stepped in to prevent that,” he said via telephone.
He noted that the Yoruba Nation members did not inform the police that they were going to hold a rally.