Mayhem At Cele

The fragile peace at Cele bus stop along the Apapa/Oshodi expressway, Southwest, Lagos, gave way to violence yesterday afternoon as a combined team of armed policemen and soldiers invaded the park at about 2 p.m.

The policemen from the Federal branch of Special Anti-Robbery Squad, Adeniji Adele annex, shot sporadically into the air, leading to commotion, as commuters fled in different directions for their dear lives.

A team of armed anti-riot policemen manning an armoured tank at the park accosted them on their mission and they alleged they were there to arrest some suspected armed robbers. A team of soldiers in OP MESA van, later joined the operation.

Within minutes, an ex-chairman of the park who was recently arraigned in court with six others for allegedly being in possession of gun and rounds of ammunition, appeared on the scene with over 100 loyalists, wielding dangerous weapons such as cutlasses, knives, charms and effectively took control of the park.

Barely an hour later, a former state chairman of NURTW also appeared on the scene to congratulate those that took over the park. The anti-robbery squad and the OP MESA team gave them effective coverage.

Those members of NURTW who were working at the park were attacked and in the melee that ensued, many commuters were robbed of their handsets, money and other valuables.

The anti-robbery team left about two hours later with a septuagenarian member of the union simply referred to as Baba Ramota.

Later, the OP MESA team equally left with two members of the union and as at this morning, their whereabouts are unknown.

At about 5 p.m., a Deputy Commission of Police, DCP, led eight patrol vehicles of armed mobile policemen to the team and finally restored order.

Speaking to newsmen after the incident, the DCP, Mr. Tunde Sobulo, said the police are not interested in their union politics, but that: “We shall not fold our hands and allow some miscreants to turn this place to a war zone.”

Sobulo has also ordered the police at Okota/Ejigbo and Ikotun axis to fish out the perpetrators of the disturbance, especially the immediate past chairman who allegedly led the invading team.

“That time has passed when the so-called union members carry guns and cutlasses to forcefully take over parks. We shall not allow it. I understand they have constitution and there is provision for election. It is wrong to resort to self-help,” a senior police chief said.

Spokesman for the Cele park, Mr. Hakeem Ogundele condemned the action of the men of Federal SARS.

“They came in the guise of looking for armed robbers. Is the 73-year old man they took away the robber they were looking for? The hypocrisy was manifest by their silence and conspiracy to the eventual take-over of the park for about four hours by the other group.

“In their presence, they were wielding dangerous weapons, yet they looked the other way. What happened yesterday was quite a shame,” Ogundele said.