Lagos task force officer shot 39-year-old banker

Some men of Lagos State Environmental and Special Offences Enforcement Unit (task force) in the Oshodi area of the state has reportedly shot Bamidele Ajala, a Wema Bank Branch Manager.

It was gathered that the officers shot the 39-year-old Kogi State indigene in the hand while they were fleeing with a yet-to-be-identified LT commercial bus driver, who bashed his car.

Our correspondent learnt that the driver crashed into Ajala’s Honda Accord vehicle around Oshodi, inward the Airport Road and in the process damaged one of the back doors..

After the crash, the banker said the driver claimed that he lost control of the vehicle when some area boys working with the task force officials dragged steering with him to force him to stop.

“I told the driver that somebody has to be responsible for the damage to my car. The area boys wore mufti and I held the driver because the damage to my car was too much.

“So, the real task force officials came, asked why I held the driver’s trousers and I told them that I wanted to take him to the police station to make an entry of the accident.

“The task force officials said they would handle it and I handed over the driver to them. The officials called the area boys to drive the commercial bus and the driver away, but when I realized that they were trying to escape with the driver, I ran into my car and caught up with them.”

The Kogi State indigene said when he asked where they were taking the driver to, one of the task force officials shot his right hand and the tyres of his vehicles.

The victim, while demanding justice, said the officials protected the bus driver to prevent him from making a report that would indict them.

He said, “I said the driver needed to fix my car, but one of the task force officials slapped my face; my mouth peeled and I started bleeding. The task force official also went toward my car and used his AK-47 to shoot the two tyres on the passenger’s side.

“At this point, a mob had gathered and in a bid to disperse them, he started shooting and one of the bullets hit my upper left hand. He did all these to prevent me from double-crossing them as I did when they were escaping with the driver and the bus.

Ajala said, “The driver said the area boys usually worked with the task force officials to track down drivers and that it was when they were dragging his steering with him and pepper-sprayed his face that he rammed into my car.

“My shirts and inner wears were soaked with blood after being shot, but people rushed me to the Kupa Hospital on Ajao Estate, from where I was referred to the Airforce Hospital in Ikeja for further treatment.

“I want justice. The task force officials knew if I was able to take the commercial driver to the station, he would mention their names.”

Task force spokesperson, Raheem Gbadeyinka, said the task force did not operate in the area on the day of the incident.

“Not all policemen are part of the task force; there are some people who parade themselves as task force officials, but they are not.

“Regarding his case, it has to be proved beyond reasonable doubt that the policemen are actually task force men.”

Wema Bank Plc, commonly known as Wema Bank, is a Nigerian commercial bank. It is licensed by the Central Bank of Nigeria; the regulator of the nation’s banking sector.