Posted by LUKKEY ABAWURU on
IT was another bloody day in Lagos yesterday, as four persons were feared dead and several others wounded during a violent clash between soldiers and footballers at Dopemu Agege.
•Over security allowance
IT was another bloody day in Lagos yesterday, as four persons were feared dead and several others wounded during a violent clash between soldiers and footballers at Dopemu Agege.
Daily Champion gathered that trouble started when a soldier whose identity could not be immediately ascertained, arrived at the Oniyawa Primary School, Dopemu football pitch and demanded an undisclosed amount of money from the footballers as "security fee" for guard duties.
The soldier and some of his colleagues were said to have been contracted by the local football association to secure the pitch during matches involving its teams before now.
But as the soldier engaged Mr. Bidemi Ogunmefun, chairman of the FA, in an argument over this, the latter's phone rang and he excused himself to take the call.
According to the source, minutes after he left the place, arguments heated up between the soldier and some of the footballers, which resulted in the soldier shooting and killing one person.
The ensuing clash was said to have lasted over three hours before the soldiers escaped, leaving about three more people dead and others injured.
After the soldiers fled the area, the youths carried their dead colleagues to the Dopemu police station in protest.
Another source claimed the footballers had prevailed on their leader, Ogunmefun, not to pay the unsettled claims by the soldiers since he had already hired some policemen to help secure the match venue.
This was said to have angered the soldiers who insisted on their "fee" or nothing else thus resulting in the confrontation.
However, confirming the incident in an interview with our correspondent yesterday, Lagos Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Mr. Olubode Ojajuni said two people were killed during the clash, and that 28 persons have been arrested.
They are being interrogated by the police at the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Yaba. Olajuni, a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) stated that the command has commenced investigations to unravel the cause of the incident as well as properly identify the people who shot the boys.
"We are investigating to know if they are real military men or fakes, as well as the reason behind their action", he said