Witness, at Probe of Lagos Mayhem, Alleges Soldiers Destroyed Buses
Written by Yetunde Ayobami Ojo and Bertram Nwannekanma
Nigerian Guardian
AS probe into the July 4 mayhem involving soldiers and civilians in Lagos continued, a staff of Mutual Model Transport Limited, sub-operator of LAGBUS, Mr. Razak Mustapha, yesterday accused soldiers of being behind the destruction of some Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) vehicles during the crisis.
He said this while testifying before the panel of inquiry investigating the motor accident and subsequent mayhem, which occurred at Palmgrove bus stop on Ikorodu Road.
Mustapha told the three-man tribunal chaired by retired Justice Ebenezer Adebajo, that he was assigned to tow the broken down bus on July 4, 2014 adding that he got there about 5.30 am and was later joined by the company’s mechanic, Mr. Ikechukwu Umeaku to return the vehicle to their depot.
He continued that while trying to start the bus, he saw a corpse inside the vehicle and immediately informed his colleague and they came down from the bus and he called his boss to inform him of the development.
Mustapha said while waiting for further directive, a man arrived and saw the corpse inside the bus and later informed some soldiers who were passing by.
He claimed that the man stopped a military vehicle passing by and informed soldiers in the vehicle of the presence of the body of a dead soldier in the bus.
“They came into the bus, saw the body and checked his identity card. They now placed two soldiers to guard the bus and left.
“It was when they came back that they started shouting and destroying the bus. Then some started stopping other BRT buses and smashing their windscreens, side mirrors and windows. There was confusion and people started gathering. Then a female soldier came and she started sprinkling fuel inside the bus.
“After that I saw three buses, one blue one and two red on fire,” Mustapha added.
Also, Umeaku in his testimony said he was assigned to repair the bus and two others, which became faulty on July 3 at about 9.00pm.
He said after fixing the other two vehicles, which broke down at New Garage, Ojota and Orile respectively, he could not fix the one at Palmgrove because it was surrounded by hoodlums.
He said the next morning he went there and saw Mustapha already waiting for him.
“It was when we were trying to repair it that Mustapha told me that there was a dead man inside the bus and that we should come down. I did not see the body. It was Mustapha who told me. So I ran away and went to report the matter to my boss at the depot,” Umeaku stated.
Further hearing has been adjourned till September 18, 2014.
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| Nigerian Gen. Chris Olukolade. |
Nigerian Guardian
AS probe into the July 4 mayhem involving soldiers and civilians in Lagos continued, a staff of Mutual Model Transport Limited, sub-operator of LAGBUS, Mr. Razak Mustapha, yesterday accused soldiers of being behind the destruction of some Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) vehicles during the crisis.
He said this while testifying before the panel of inquiry investigating the motor accident and subsequent mayhem, which occurred at Palmgrove bus stop on Ikorodu Road.
Mustapha told the three-man tribunal chaired by retired Justice Ebenezer Adebajo, that he was assigned to tow the broken down bus on July 4, 2014 adding that he got there about 5.30 am and was later joined by the company’s mechanic, Mr. Ikechukwu Umeaku to return the vehicle to their depot.
He continued that while trying to start the bus, he saw a corpse inside the vehicle and immediately informed his colleague and they came down from the bus and he called his boss to inform him of the development.
Mustapha said while waiting for further directive, a man arrived and saw the corpse inside the bus and later informed some soldiers who were passing by.
He claimed that the man stopped a military vehicle passing by and informed soldiers in the vehicle of the presence of the body of a dead soldier in the bus.
“They came into the bus, saw the body and checked his identity card. They now placed two soldiers to guard the bus and left.
“It was when they came back that they started shouting and destroying the bus. Then some started stopping other BRT buses and smashing their windscreens, side mirrors and windows. There was confusion and people started gathering. Then a female soldier came and she started sprinkling fuel inside the bus.
“After that I saw three buses, one blue one and two red on fire,” Mustapha added.
Also, Umeaku in his testimony said he was assigned to repair the bus and two others, which became faulty on July 3 at about 9.00pm.
He said after fixing the other two vehicles, which broke down at New Garage, Ojota and Orile respectively, he could not fix the one at Palmgrove because it was surrounded by hoodlums.
He said the next morning he went there and saw Mustapha already waiting for him.
“It was when we were trying to repair it that Mustapha told me that there was a dead man inside the bus and that we should come down. I did not see the body. It was Mustapha who told me. So I ran away and went to report the matter to my boss at the depot,” Umeaku stated.
Further hearing has been adjourned till September 18, 2014.
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