Ibeju-Lekki villagers and mobile police officers clashed in Okunraiye community near Ibeju-Lekki, Lagos, this morning. The clash resulted in the death of the Managing Director of the Lekki Free Zone Ltd, Mr. Tajudeen Disu.
It was said that the villagers were on a peaceful protest against “forceful takeover” of their land by the Lagos state government on behalf of Africa’s richest industrialist, Aliko Dangote and the Lekki Free Zone Ltd when policemen attacked them reportedly killing two of the protesters instantly.
The killing of the villagers snowballed into a crisis.
An aborigine said the Lekki Free Zone Ltd called in anti-riot policemen of “Mopol 49” to kill the protesters because they had insisted too long ago against forceful acquisition of the community land by the Lekki Free Zone Ltd for the construction of a large petrochemical refinery owned by Mr. Dangote. He said the Mopol were led and supervised to the protest scene by Managing Director of the Lekki Free Zone Ltd, Mr. Disu.
But Mr. Disu was also among those killed as the police officers guarding him and protesters clashed, according to the indigene. One of the police officers was also feared dead. The community has been taken over by soldiers reinforced to the community as the crisis escalated.
The village is currently being raided by Nigerian troops sent to the community as a result of the crisis. Many villagers have vacated the village out of fear.
Habib Aruna, who is the Chief Press Secretary to Governor of Lagos state, Akinwunmi Ambode, confirmed that Mr. Disu died in the fracas stating that his body has been deposited at the Lagos State University Hospital for a post-mortem.
*SaharaReports