The police in Lagos have arrested two executives of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), over allegation of gun-running and illegal possession of arms.
The suspects were said to be making merry at a birthday party organised by a NURTW boss, simply identified as Deji, at Ebute-Meta for his daughter when policemen attached to the Special Anti Robbery Squad (SARS) Ikeja, swooped on the guests, detaining suspects following a tip off.
It was gathered that the officers were after Deji and his gang but he escaped on sighting the policemen.
The officers were said to have ransacked his house in search of illegal weapons where they recovered a double barreled-gun hidden in the ceiling of the apartment where the birthday was being celebrated.
The police arrested Jelili Oni,32, Mayowa Oladoja 29 and a number of executives of the NURTW in charge of tricycle operation in the area and they were taken to Ikeja SARS office for interrogation.
Oni said: “I am the treasurer of tricycle operator in Ebute-Meta. I have two children and my wife is pregnant. Deji is my cousin and he used to act as a thug for politicians. He has been accused of many crimes but that was then.
“He is our chairman at Oyingbo and Ebute-Meta and sometimes last month, he organised a birthday party for his daughter. Our members came to give him money for the birthday and to celebrate with him; we were however shocked when police came and were asking for Deji.
“Before we knew what was happening, Deji had fled and the policemen arrested me. The policemen ransacked the house and they found a gun hidden in the ceiling. They asked me if I knew anything about the gun but I said ‘no’. They brought me to SARS to get more information about Deji but I do not know where he ran to. ”
The second suspect, Oladapo said he was at the birthday party to enjoy himself when he was arrested.
“I am a member of the Task Force Unit for the Tricycle riders operating at Ijora. Jelili called me to take money to Deji at his daughter’s birthday party.
I saw the women cooking so I decided to wait to enjoy myself. All of a sudden, the police stormed Deji’s house and they arrested me. Deji had fled but the police found a double barrel gun during their search. The policemen took me to the station for questioning and I told them I do not know anything about the gun,” he said.
Ebute-Metta and environs have been a hotbed for gang war and murder of rivals gang members.
Last Saturday, armed youth stormed the area and caused havoc. They forced their way into shops and houses stealing valuables.
In the process, three men were murdered by suspected rival gangs and the police have been patrolling the area.
A security man in the area who requested anonymity said: “The boys are always fighting over the control of parks and they kill one another in the process.
“These boys are cultists and they are the ones running the NURTW. When a rival gang takes over the NURTW in their domain, they organise themselves and the leaders arm the boys with guns which they use to inflict injury on rival members.
“They do this to gain control of the parks and the markets because that is where they get their daily bread from. Sadly when they attack like that, innocent residents are affected as they will loot shops and kill to exert their supremacy.”
Reacting to the incident, spokesperson for Lagos police command, Patricia Amadin, said that normalcy has been restored to the area.
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