A riot has broken out in Apapa, a business district in Lagos, after a tanker driver was shot and killed by a policeman according to reports.
On Wednesday, July 19, 2017, a policeman, reportedly opened fire on a tanker driver over a disagreement over money.
Some accounts of the incident say that the trigger happy cop was assigned to Diamond Bank, in Apapa, while some other reports say that he ran into Diamond Bank after killing the tanker driver. Another report says that the angry mob of tanker drivers invaded Sterling Bank also in Apapa, and burnt in down.
Punch reports that three tanker drivers were killed by the police.
Sterling Bank In Apapa Burnt By Truck Drivers Over Squabble With MOPOL https://t.co/EwBePxoabg pic.twitter.com/2IiJnDeEH2
— Excel joshua (@brainguyz_com) July 19, 2017
Banks in the area are shutting down and evacuating their employees as a safety measure.
An eyewitness said the incident started when the tanker driver refused to give the police officer money which led to a heated argument and the officer fired by mistake, Naij reports.
The police officer fled the scene when he realized the driver was dead.
The tanker drivers who were angry chased the officer into the bank where he was been protected by security guards.
The bank’s refusal to give up the policeman provoked the drivers to turn violent. The driver’s colleagues then moved to set the bank ablaze, destroying properties and other valuables.
At the time of this report, policemen from Rapid Response Squad (RRS), anti-riot squad and Area B command, as well as operatives from the Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) BEECEOFT have arrived at the scene.
Below are some of the photos shared on Twitter from the incident
#Diamond & #Sterling bank branches in #Apapa burnt by truck drivers. New dimension to the wahala in that area pic.twitter.com/A1P6jQabkW
— Oluwafemi (@femo520) July 19, 2017
Two commercial banks (Sterling and Diamond) in Apapa was set ablaze after policeman shot trailer driver dead. Please avoid this route pic.twitter.com/10iFpJb1QK
— Bhadmus H’akeem (@Bhadoosky) July 19, 2017
UPDATE: Angry mob set two banks ablaze in Apapa after Police officer killed tanker driver https://t.co/c6nGCBidap @ebuka_akara pic.twitter.com/TuIaJZp59g
— Inside Mainland (@InsideMainland) July 19, 2017
Commotion in Apapa: Policeman kills three trailer drivers, angry mob sets bank on fire https://t.co/FZu1TpYjzu via @naijanews pic.twitter.com/iMfEQ4ntA2
— Nigeria Newsdesk (@NigeriaNewsdesk) July 19, 2017
