Hoodlums Lay Siege to Lagos High Court, Prevent Inmates from Leaving

There was pandemonium at the Lagos High Court, sitting in Tafa Balewa Square (TBS), yesterday, as hoodlums laid siege at the entrance of the court in protest of one of their friend shot by a prison warder.

The hoodlums caused panic, which made all the judges to end proceedings abruptly and immediately left the court, alongside their registrars.

Also, litigants and those working around court premises hurriedly vacated the surrounding and took to their heels.

The hoodlums deflated tyres of the two Black Maria vehicles that brought inmates to court from Ikoyi prison thereby preventing them from leaving the court.

According to an eye witness, the victim was unruly and was allegedly trying to interact with some of the inmates in the Black Maria and was warned severally to desist but he refused.

Another eye witness who pleaded anonymity said the victim was shot in the hip while trying to disarm the warder.

Shortly, after the victim was shot, information got to the hoodlums, who swiftly mobilised and barricade the entrance of the courts and deflated the tyres of the Black Maria.

A woman who also witnessed the incident stated that the victim had mental problems, adding that a senior prison warder, tried to prevent the warder from shooting the victim.

It was gathered that warders from Kirikiri prison and the inmates immediately left after the incident and the victim was rushed to the Lagos State General Hospital but the hoodlums who laid siege insisted that the Ikoyi inmates would not leave the court premises.

However, policemen from Kam-Salem, were drafted to the court to appease the hoodlums.