‘It was a shootout between hoodlums and policeman attached to nearby bank’, says spoksmanThe Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) yesterday debunked a story making the rounds that one of its personnel was involved in a shoot-out incident at a filling station in Lagos.
This was contained in a statement by Emmanuel Okeh, the Corps’ spokesperson, who stated the ugly incident that took place at the Forte Oil Filling Station in Festac Town, was not in any way carried out by any NSCDC officer as alleged.
“From our findings, the operators of Forte Oil Filling Station on 21 Avenue Festac Town, Lagos, refused selling the product to bona-fide buyers, but were only interested in selling to black marketers, which led to the Okada riders numbering about 50 who came to buy fuel, marching to the NSCDC office to report the situation for the abnormality to be corrected.
“The NSCDC Special Task Force responded by coming into the filling station to correct the ugly trend. While this duty was being carried out, the hoodlums went on rampage, kidnapped some Okada riders, and started shooting, which led to pandemonium.
“Meanwhile, beside the filling station is Eco Bank, where the police officer attached to the bank who for his own safety and that of the bank under his watch, started exchanging gun fire with those hoodlums, led to the casualty.
“As stated by the STF Commander that led the operation at the filling station, CSC Emmanuel Ojile, as at the time of the shootout, the NSCDC personnel were inside the filling station, busy protecting the facility and never in any way participated in any shooting activity whatsoever as alleged,” the statement added.
Guardian