Violence erupted at Ile Epo Oke-Odo, Iyana Ipaja area of Lagos on Monday following the death of a Hausa man reportedly killed by a policeman attached to Oke-Odo Police Division.

Agboola Yetunde, a worker in the area, who spoke with FIJ shortly after the incident, said the deceased had had an argument with the cop, who hit him with his gun.

The community slid into pandemonium as the other Hausa residents started a protest and attempted to set the Oke-Odo Police Station ablaze.

“A commercial tricycle rider and Hausa man had an argument or disagreement with a police officer who used the base of his gun to hit him in the head. The Hausa man slumped and fell. He was still breathing at the time,” she said.

“The other Hausa people in the community, rather than take him to the hospital, carried him to the Oke Odo Police Station in protest. He eventually died there. And then they started a riot, attempting to burn down the police station.

“I had left the place before the man died and was back to my office when we heard a gunshot. People started running towards my side, so we started locking up our shops and before we knew it everyone was dry.

“We heard that the Police were shooting into the air. Then we saw a smoke. Some people said the police station had been burnt, but I went there to confirm. It wasn’t the police station; it was ‘bawler’, the home of the Hausa people. The police were likely the ones that burnt the place.”  

Operatives of the Rapid Response Squad (RRS) of the Police, however, took over the scene and restored calm to the area.

When contacted, Muyiwa Adejobi, spokesperson of the Lagos State Police Command, said the police would make an official statement on the incident very soon.