LAGOS—Apparently
expressing their displeasure
over Tuesday's arrest of two
army officers, including
Colonel K. I. Yusuf, by Lagos
State Governor, Mr.
Babatunde Fashola, for
driving on the dedicated Bus
Rapid Transit, BRT, lane,
some soldiers on
Wednesday, reportedly went
after officials of the Lagos
State Task-force on
Environment and Special
Offences, at the Yaba area of
the metropolis.
Although the Chairman, of
the task-force,
Superintendent of Police,
Bayo Sulaimon, said there
was no clash between
members of his team and
militarymen as alleged, he
agreed there was 'a minor
face-off.'
The soldier were allegedly
said to have attacked the
task-force officials who were
on patrol on Murtala
Muhammed Way, Yaba, using
broken bottles and stones.
They were also said to have
punctured the tyres of a
Black Maria used by the task-
force in transporting traffic
offenders.
An eyewitness told Vanguard
that the incident occurred
about 9a.m, when the
taskforce officials attempted
to arrest a commercial bus
caught violating traffic rules
at a spot close to an Army
barracks.
According to reports, a
soldier seated in front of the
commercial bus quickly
retrieved the key from the
driver, preventing the task-
force officials from taking
the bus away.
A heated argument was said
to have erupted between the
soldier and the task-force
officials which soon
degenerated into a brawl.
The soldier allegedly called
for reinforcement from the
81 Division barracks and
pronto, several soldiers
trooped out from the
barracks and began to haul
stones and other missiles at
the task-force officials.
"As the clash ensued, some
of the soldiers made
unpleasant remarks about
the governor for attempting
to arrest and humiliate an
Army Colonel, threatening to
vent their anger on the
officials.
"As the situation worsened,
the task-force men also
called for reinforcement. It
was in the heat of the clash
that the tyres of the Black
Maria were punctured," an
eye-witness, who pleaded
anonymity said.
Army denies attack
When Vanguard contacted,
army spokesman, 81
Division, Lt-Col. Kayode
Ogunsanya, he said he was
unaware of any clash
between soldiers and
officials of the task-force at
Yaba.
Ogunsanya, however, said an
un-named high ranking
official of the state confirmed
the attack on the officials,
saying it was an affront on
the state government for
soldiers to vandalise a
government vehicle.
He said it was wrong for
soldiers to attack taskforce
officials on legitimate duty
with stones and other
dangerous weapons.
In his narration of what
transpired, through the task-
force's Public Relations
Officer, Mrs. Tayo, Sulaimon,
clarified that there was no
clash between them and the
army," but there was a slight
altercation which was later
settled without anybody
sustaining injury.
Sulaimon said: "In the early
hours of Wednesday about
9a.m, one of our men, who
was on duty post at Yaba
area apprehended a
commercial bus driver for
contravening the state traffic
law.
"In the process, an army
personnel in the bus
prevented the task-force
men from impounding the
vehicle. Consequently, there
was a little confusion.
"The militaryman called for
reinforcement from a nearby
barracks, but before the men
arrived, the matter had been
resolved without any
casualty or clash as the
commercial bus was let off
the hook."
It was learnt that the soldier
came up with the action in
protest of the media hype on
the reports that Governor
Fashola arrested a Colonel
who drove on the BRT lane
the previous day.
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