There is growing fear and apprehension in Lagos State, Nigeria following escalating violence in various areas of the state ahead of the February elections.
The fear got worse on Friday when the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state commenced rallies across the state and violence was recorded in Agege and Alimosho areas of the state with one dead while many sustained life-threatening injuries.
In Agege, a supporter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) was murdered after he was allegedly accused by some PDP thugs of influencing the distribution of Permanent Voters Cards to supporters of the APC.
The thugs have also gone ahead to tear off and deface posters and banners belonging to candidates of the APC in the area.
Also in Alimosho area, thugs accompanying PDP candidates from a rally, suddenly opened fire on a team of APC members who had carried their campaign to members of the private sector and were returning to base.
Narrating the incident on Saturday, Yusuf Olashehu, leader of the APC team said the team members were returning in over 40 vehicles when they got a message that the convoy of the PDP was approaching through the other lane.
He said since they had been warned against violence before they left for their campaign, they decided to stop movement in order to allow the campaign team of the PDP led by former Minister of State for Defence, Senator Musiliu Obanikoro, a senatorial candidate of the PDP, Segun Adewale, and others pass before they would continue their trip.
Olashehu said: “as we stood watching, we saw a group of people on motorcycles brandishing guns, cutlasses, axes and other weapons. They were drinking various brands of alcohol. Then we got scared.
“Behind these motorcycles were a team of security men with guns and we thought that we were safe with the police with them to maintain peace. Little did we know that we were mistaken.
“Suddenly, they stopped, crossing to the other lane where we were.Tthey began to shoot sporadically as we all ran helter-skelter for our lives. Some of us were shot, our vehicles vandalised, some passers-by were shot, matcheted and their cars vandalised. Businesses around the scene of the incident were looted by the thugs while business owners were wounded.
He said one of those whose legs were damaged by bullets from the PDP thugs was a business woman popularly called Mama Kampala who was carrying out her business when the violence began. Also, a pastor who was on his way home with his kids was matcheted and his car was vandalised just like another woman who was returning from a school where she had gone to pick her kids.
One of the victims told Huhuonline.com that she was in her car discussing with some people after they had been told to wait for the PDP to pass, when suddenly, someone shattered her car screen using a hockey stick.
“The next thing was a gunshot and I didn’t know how I ran out of the car. I only found myself inside a shop belonging to someone,” she said while showing our correspondent round the vandalised car.
Many of those who witnessed the incident confirmed that the sporadic shootings were started by the security agents who were accompanying the PDP. They also pointed out that policemen from the Shasa area of the state were part of the PDP team.
Hon. Bisi Yusuf, the lawmaker representing Alimosho Constituency 1 at the Lagos State House of Assembly, said he and other candidates of the APC in the February elections were the targets of the mayhem, but fortunately, none of the candidates were among the campaign team of the APC.
“My vehicle was riddled with bullets. If I was in the vehicle, I would have been a dead man by now. Only God knows how many of those in the hospital would survive. One woman who was just passing had her two legs shattered with bullets. Another one was shot in the neck while another one had injury on both legs,” Yusuf said.
According to him, it is surprising that this level of mauhem could be carried out by a party which presidential candidate signed a pact on peaceful elections in the country.
The vandalised vehicles as seen by Huhuonline.com include: Toyota Hiace ( KTU 408 XM); Infiti SUV QX4 (APP 233 CN); Lexus GX 470 (LND 275 DG); Ford Explorer (FXJ 968 CK); a newly procured and yet to be be registered Opel Wagon, Suzuki Vitra (JJJ 543 BJ); Toyota Forerunner (RQ 743 KJA); Toyota Camry 2E (KSF 965 AE).
He asked the PDP to realise that the APC understands its own capacity but has chosen to maintain peace in order to ensure successful and peaceful elections.
He also urged the heads of the various security units in the state to be alive to their duties and ensure that such provocations do not recur.
Spokesman of the PDP, Gani Taofeek, did not answer calls made to his phones.
A PDP member confirmed that a team of the party was in the Alimosho area on Friday and that there was a level of violence. He did not go into details or confirm whether Obanikoro was part of the PDP team.
