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General News of Tuesday, 13 July 2021

Source: thenationonlineng.net

Ladipo Market: Our operatives killed nobody - Air Force

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The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has denied stray bullets from its operatives allegedly killed three persons at Ladipo Market, Lagos on Tuesday afternoon.

It also described as untrue claims that three persons were killed during a clash between military operatives and area boys at the popular Paramo area of Ladipo Market in Mushin.

NAF’s Director of Information and Public Relations (DOPRI), Air Commodore Edward Gabkwet told The Nation the service’s personnel attached to the Operation (OPs) MESA were in the market in response to a distress call.

He said a call was put across by traders on a fight going on between a soldier of the Nigerian Army (NA) and a civilian debtor.

Gabkwet said upon receipt of the call, the team moved to the market but was attacked by angry traders who pelted stones at them.

He said: “Firstly, NAF personnel did not kill anyone. Moreover it was one person that died not three. The information we have at the moment is that the NAF operatives who are attached to OPs MESA received a distress call that a soldier was having an issue with a debtor.

“So, they moved in to restore peace but as soon as some of the traders saw them, they started attacking them. They threw stones at them and destroyed the windscreen of the patrol vehicle.

“They attacked a soldier and seized his pistol. So, the Army soldier who was having issues with a debtor trader managed to retrieve the seized pistol and fired a shot in order free himself and the operatives from the crowd. It was that gunshot that killed one of the traders.

“Two of our operatives sustained injuries. The information we have at the moment is that our men acted professionally and were only in the market to ensure peace giving the economic importance of the market to Lagos state and our country as a whole.

“Despite this account, we are going to investigate the incident to know what really happened. We will get to the root of the matter and if any of our operatives is found to have acted otherwise, they would be sanctioned accordingly.”

Spokesman for Nigerian Army’s 81 Division, Major Olaniyi Osoba said the matter was being investigated, assuring the army would unravel what actually happened.