Soldiers on reprisal allegedly kill three during Sallah

Three people have been reportedly killed during a community festival in Isheri/Kara, a boundary community between Lagos and Ogun States.

A resident told The PUNCH that the incident happened on Monday night at an event tagged Isheri Day festival.

An altercation was said to have occurred among the attendees, as one Tiri was allegedly beaten to a pulp.

Tiri was alleged to have been beaten together with a soldier who escorted him to the event.

The soldier was reported to have mobilised his colleagues, who stormed the area and opened fire on his suspected assailants.

Three people were said to have died.

“The soldier the man brought was beaten, his clothes torn and his rifle seized. He was even pushed into a canal.

“The soldiers who were later brought in shot three boys, who were confirmed dead in a hospital,” a community source told our correspondent.

The soldiers were said to be attached to 81 Division.

However, the military denied any wrongdoing in the matter.

A statement signed by the Assistant Director, Army Public Relations, Major Clement Abiade, said the report was aimed at distracting military operations at checkmating insecurity.

He said, “For avoidance of the doubt and the need for clarity, the true situation is that the troops of 81 Division, Nigerian Army, deployed in internal security in Kara general area of Lagos, following a distress call made a prompt intervention to forestall grievous bloody clash among the so-called “Isheri boys” yesterday evening.

“The clash, reported to have started between the group members culminated into lawlessness and anarchy, harassing innocent citizens in the area who were supposedly expected to be enjoying their eid maulid festival. The troops dispersed this group who have constituted themselves into a public nuisance and accordingly restored peace to the area.

“Sadly, one of our gallant soldiers got a machete cut in the head and was immediately evacuated to Gentalbert Hospital for first aid treatment and subsequent transfer to Military Hospital. He is responding to treatment.

“Also reported was a stabbed civilian brought to the same hospital by another civilian while efforts were ongoing to get doctors to attend to the injured soldier.”

The Ogun State Police Public Relations Officer, Abimbola Oyeyemi, who confirmed the incident, said a statement would soon be released on it.

He had yet to do so as of the time of filing this report.