Tuesday, October 12, 2010

Riot in Ibadan as smugglers’ car hits two siblings

There was pandemonium in Samonda area of Ibadan, Oyo State capital on Tuesday when some youths took to the street to protest a fatal accident that occurred in the area.

Our correspondent gathered that trouble started at about 7.15am when some armed riot policemen on duty at a checkpoint on the Sango-Ojoo Road attempted to stop convoy of four cars suspected to be driven by smugglers of used vehicles popularly called Tokunbo.

Three of the smugglers were said to be driving on top speed against the traffic at the time of the incident.

An eyewitness, Mr. Ismaila Emiola, alleged that when it became obvious that the suspects would not stop, the policemen started shooting.

In their bid to escape, Emiola said one of the vehicles in the convoy hit two boys who were crossing the road on their way to their school.

While one of the boys died on the spot, the other was said to have had a fracture on one of his arms.Their ages were put at six and nine.

The incident reportedly infuriated some youths in the area who immediately mobilised and mounted bonfires on the highway, causing traffic jam on the ever busy road.

They also attacked policemen on sight.

A combined team of armed policemen and men of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps backed with an Armoured Personnel Carrier was later deployed in the troubled spot.

Tear gas canisters were fired by the security agents to disperse the irate youths before normalcy was restored in the area.

The Divisional Police Officer in charge of Sango Divisional Headquarters, Mrs. Sybil Akinfenwa, a Chief Superintendent of Police, later led some policemen to the scene and took the parents of the children, Kalejaiye and Mufuli Olatubosun, to the police station as a way of dousing tension in the area.

Akinfenwa quickly ordered that security be beefed up around the police station as onlookers gathered around the area.

The Public Relations Officer of the state police command, Ms. Olabisi Okuwobi, a Deputy Superintendent of Police, confirmed the incident.

She said that investigation was still ongoing..

Source:http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art201010132331535

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