Hausa traders, SARS operatives clash in Abeokuta

Pandemonium broke out on Thursday at Olomore market of Abeokuta when two Hausa traders were allegedly shot by operatives of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS).

This development led to violent protest as the angry Hausa traders blocked the Lagos -Abeokuta expressway, grounding vehicular movement for hours.

It was gathered that the SARS operatives stormed the market at about 10.00 am in an unmarked Toyota Sienna, at the time the traders were offloading their goods.

The operatives, according to an eyewitness account, Abiola Sani, one Musa Adamu and another, simply identified as, Awwal, were shot by the operatives when they were counting money meant for the payment of their goods.

ALSO READ: Buhari will not resign over insecurity ― Lai Mohammed

Adamu was reported to have been shot in the head while Awwal was shot twice in the leg.

Sani said: “This morning, we were offloading baskets of pepper and tomatoes from the trucks when suddenly, about eight SARs officers stormed the market and started chasing traders and shot two people.”

The situation degenerated when policemen deployed to quell the situation were attacked by the traders.

The victims were rushed to a nearby private hospital, Bisted Hospital but were later referred to the Federal Medical Centre (FMC) for treatment.

The Chairman of the Pepper and Tomatoes Sellers Association, Alhaji Ishaku Nuya, demanded justice for his colleagues, saying the perpetrators of the act must be fished out and face the full wrath of the law.

It took the joint efforts of men of the State Police Command and officers of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) over one hour before the protesters were pacified.