There is confusion over those responsible for the killing of a 55-year-old man during EndSARS protest in Surulere - Police said the killing and shooting of the victim and other three officers was carried out by the demonstrators - But in a statement, Lagos government stated that "hoodlums" were responsible for the breakdown of law and order
Gbenga Omotoso, Lagos commissioner for information, has stated that the police was not responsible for the shooting in the Surulere axis of the state. Rather, the commissioner, while reacting to the incident which claimed the life of at least two people including police officers, blamed the shooting on hoodlums. It would be recalled that during an extended peaceful protest against police brutality in Lagos state on Monday, October 12, there was a commotion characterised by heavy shooting towards the protesters. EndSARS: Sanwo-Olu orders release of all arrested protesters A man, identified as 55-year-old Ikechukwu Ilohamauzo, was shot dead during the panic scene, prompting a blame game between police and protesters. Lagos police and commissioner of information bicker over killing during Surulere EndSARS protest. Credit: Nigerian Guardian. Source: Twitter Recounting the incident during a talk with BBC, an eyewitness, Samuel Okafor, said the victim was killed when the police started shooting at the protesters. In his words: "All of a sudden, we started hearing gunshots from those policemen there. The bullet picked him up and he fell down.” Although in a statement, the spokesman of Lagos state police command Muyiwa Adejobi stated that the victim and three policemen were shot, the Lagos state commissioner of information maintained that the 55-year-old man was killed by "hoodlums" who attacked the anti-kidnapping unit. Omotosho, in a statement, said: “A group of hoodlums stormed the Anti-Kidnapping Unit at Hogan Bassey Street, Surulere, to free two suspects standing trial for alleged kidnapping “They shot three officers. One of them, Inspector Erinfolami Ayodeji, unfortunately, died. The others are Inspectors Ekein Joshua and Peter Agabi."
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