9th December, 2011
Scores of hoodlums yesterday vandalised the Mile 12 police post in Lagos, Southwest Nigeria to protest the death of a suspect in detention.
The rampaging hoodlums pulled down the fence of the police post and broke all the windows.
They also burnt a commuter bus parked inside the premises of the police post before they were dislodged by a reinforcement of policemen from the Ketu Police Division.
Investigations revealed that the hoodlums were protesting the death in detention of a suspect who was arrested by the police at a viewing centre at Alaba market area.
P.M.NEWS gathered that the police last week raided a viewing centre in the area and arrested some people on allegations of disturbing public peace and constituting a nuisance to their immediate environment.
Hell was let loose in the area when the hoodlums learnt that one of those detained had died in detention.
A witness, Titilayo Oluwatosin told P.M.NEWS that she was around Alaba junction when policemen from Mile 12 police post raided the viewing centre and arrested many people. She added that the policemen had been raiding the centre daily for a week.
Contacted, the Lagos State Police Command Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Samuel Jinadu, a deputy Superintendent of Police, confirmed the attack.
Jinadu refuted claims that a suspect died in custody at the police post.
He also denied reports that the police post was burnt down by the hoodlums.
“They did not burn down the police post. They intended razing it but they succeeded in vandalising it,†Jinadu said.
— Ayodeji Dedeigbo