Juliana Francis
A yet-to-be-identified man was killed today by suspected herders, who were angry over the killing of one of their cows at the Agemowo Badagry area of Lagos State.
Unfortunately, the murdered man was not connected to the killing of the cow. Indeed, it was gathered that the herders were after the driver and conductor of the bus that rammed into their cows, killing two.
When they sighted the victim, they thought he looked like the bus conductor and despite the man’s repeatedly denial of being the person the herders were after, they refused to believe him. They pounced and beat him to death.
It was alleged that the victim, desperate for help, ran to a police station, seeking a haven, but the police personnel there refused him.
Angry residents and eyewitnesses blocked the major routes in the area, protesting the killing of the victim. The protest grounded commercial activities, with people shutting down shops and drivers swiftly leaving the road, fearful that the violence might turn into ethnic violence.
It was gathered police personnel was deployed in the area to ensure the security of lives and property and to make sure that the protest did not escalate further.
The Divisional Police Officer (DPO) in charge of Morogbo Division, who raced to the scene with some of his policemen, was assisted by soldiers from 243 Recce Battalion and both sister forces working in synergy, successfully cleared blocked roads and dispersed the protesters.
The Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Benjamin Hundeyin, who took to his Twitter handle to explain the tense situation to Lagos State citizens, stated that two of the herders that killed the victim had been arrested.
He said: “A commercial vehicle ran into two cows this morning at Agemowo, Badagry, killing one of the cows. The two cattle herders attacked someone they mistook for the vehicle conductor, resulting in his death. Angry residents blocked the highway in protest of the killing. The Divisional Police Officer (DPO) in charge of Morogbo Division, assisted by soldiers from 243 Recce Battalion, Badagry successfully cleared the obstruction. Normalcy has since returned to the area. It is entirely false that the victim was turned back when he sought refuge in the police station. He did not make it off the accident scene, let alone reach the station. Meanwhile, the two herders have been arrested. An investigation is ongoing. Updates will be provided subsequently.”
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