Many people, including policemen, were on Monday feared injured in the Meiran area of Lagos State as armed hoodlums attacked operatives of the Lagos State Taskforce.
Three persons, including the gang leader, have been arrested in connection with the attack on the law enforcement agents.
The Task Force, however, denied that anybody was injured in the incident that created panic around the Meiran and Ijaiye areas of the state.
The hoodlums were reportedly trying to free an impounded vehicle after its driver drove against traffic.
The spokesperson of the Task Force, Gbadeyan Abdulraheem, confirmed the attack on the policemen in a statement signed by him on Monday evening.
The Task Force image maker said, ” Officials of the Lagos State Taskforce on routine patrol of the metropolis today were accosted by suspected miscreants who tried to forcefully release the driver of a Chevrolet vehicle that was caught driving against traffic (One-Way) along Meiran Road. “
He added that ” The thugs numbering about 20 conveyed themselves in a Danfo bus and brandished various types of harmful weapons trying to intimidate the officers who were carrying out their legitimate duty along that axis.”
The armed hoodlums were allegedly led by a man, simply identified as Fashola, who had in the past been on the wanted list of the Task Force.
Chairman of the Lagos State Taskforce, CSP Shola Jejeloye, stated that ” We have gotten several reports about this thug called Fashola, and today he is in our custody for obstruction of Justice.”
He also stated that ” My officers and men who were in the process of arresting a man who drove his Chevrolet vehicle on one way suddenly noticed that Fashola had quickly mobilised thugs to prevent them from taking him down to the office.”
” The officials applied the required amount of force to douse the situation and arrested the ring leader of the gang and two others. “he added.
The Task Force chairman also stated that ” We are on the trail of the rest who escaped, and we will ensure that they are arrested and brought to book”
The Chairman further stated that none of his officials were injured during the fracas neither were any of the suspected thugs, as erroneously reported by passers-by.
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