LAGOS, Nigeria – In a shocking incident that underscores the tensions amid Nigeria’s ongoing fuel crisis, a Lagos resident was fatally shot by a police officer at a Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) filling station in Obalende, Ikoyi area of Lagos State.
The altercation, which occurred on the evening of Wednesday, May 1, 2024, escalated from a dispute over queue-jumping at the fuel station.
The victim, identified as Toheeb Eniafe, was actively participating in maintaining order in the queue when two men, later identified as police officers, attempted to bypass the long line of waiting customers.
Eyewitnesses reported that the officers tried to force their way to the front to purchase fuel, sparking a standoff with the frustrated crowd, who had been waiting for hours.
The situation quickly deteriorated when Eniafe confronted the officers, insisting they respect the queue like everyone else.
The verbal exchange turned physical, and one of the officers drew his weapon and shot Eniafe, causing immediate fatal injuries.
In the chaotic aftermath, an angry mob pursued the officers.
While one managed to escape after firing warning shots into the air, the crowd’s fury was palpable, reflecting broader public dissatisfaction with law enforcement behaviour and the ongoing fuel shortages that have gripped the nation.
On May 2, SP Benjamin Hundeyin, the spokesman for the Lagos command, confirmed the shooter was a policeman from the Special Protection Unit (SPU) Base 17, Lion Building, Lagos.
“The person behind the shooting has been identified as a police officer serving at Special Protection Unit (SPU) Base 17, Lion Building, Lagos,” Hundeyin stated, acknowledging the gravity of the incident and its potential implications for police-community relations.
The incident has sparked outrage across Lagos, prompting calls for accountability and reforms within the police force to prevent such tragedies in the future.
