Hoodlums Hijack NLC Protest in Lagos, Unleash Mayhem

• As labour shuts down government offices

Chiemelie Ezeobi

Despite measures by the Lagos State Police Command to beef up security around key public and government facilities ahead of Wednesday’s nationwide strike planned by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), hoodlums unreleased mayhem in the state.

The violence, which started at the Fadeyi area of the state, along the Ikorodu Expressway, supplanted the peaceful protest organised by the NLC to register their grouse against the hike in fuel price by the Federal Government.

According to an eyewitness account, the protest was going on well until some hoodlums said to be from the Mushin, Bariga and Somolu areas stormed the venue and hijacked it.

THISDAY gathered that the hoodlums blocked the entire stretch of Fadeyi, forcing motorists heading towards Ojuelegba to turn back.

Some of the hoodlums who were armed with dangerous weapons like stones, machetes and axes soon became violent and began to attack and rob some of the motorists.

Although no life was lost, so many pedestrians and motorists were injured by the assault from the hoodlums, even as several cars were vandalised.

About 8.56am, some anti-riot policemen were deployed to the scene, but their attempt to quell the situation was rebuffed by the rioters, who pelted them with stones.

However, the arrival of some soldiers of the Nigerian Army, who were said to have been deployed from Abalti Barracks, Ojuelegba, brought calm to the area.
Collaborating with the anti-riot policemen, the soldiers first used tear gas to destabilise the rioters before they moved in to mop them up.

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