Ibeju-Lekki villagers and mobile police officers clashed in Okunraiye community near Ibeju-Lekki, Lagos, this morning, and unfortunately, the Managing Director of the Lekki Free Zone Ltd, Mr. Tajudeen Disu was among persons killed.
The villagers said they 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 villagers said the killing resulted in a crisis.
A local chief in the area 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. The chief 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 local chief. 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 said the governor had just addressed the media over the crisis. He 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.
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