One more person killed in Oshodi crisis

• NURTW urges probe of Hamburger’s death
Palpable fear yesterday pervaded the Shogunle and Ladipo areas of Oshodi, Lagos State, as one more person, Desokan Baba-Owo, was feared killed.

Baba-Owo was allegedly killed in a reprisal attack by suspected loyalists of Rasak Bello, popularly known as Hamburger, the chairman of the Lagos State Motorcycles Owners Association in Oshodi, who was shot dead on Monday. Another victim who was with him also died from bullet injuries he sustained during the attack.

Three people have so far been killed since the crisis started on Monday over disagreement on the choice of councillorship candidate for Shogunle and Ladipo under the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Mother of the slain okada union chief fainted yesterday when the news of her son’ s death was broken to her at her residence in Odalume Street, Ladipo.

While the deceased, Hamburger and another person identified as Biola Jimoh, a.k.a Ijoba Small were hit by bullets during the attack on Monday, Desokan was killed in a reprisal attack by suspected loyalists of Hamburger yesterday.

A resident of the area, who simply identified himself as Lateef, said: “Hamburger and Ijoba Small were shot at the same time at the venue of the primaries but Ijoba Small initially survived. He was rushed to the hospital where he lost the battle to stay alive in the early hours of Tuesday.”

However, more policemen have been drafted to the troubled community but residents have remained indoors while businesses were under lock and key. There were fears among residents of the area that more reprisal attacks may be launched by loyalists of Hamburger, who would be buried today (Wednesday).

Wife and children of the slain Hamburger, who travelled overseas for vacation, were as at Tuesday evening still expected back in the country.

Meanwhile, the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) in Lagos State yesterday urged the police to fish out the killers of Rasak Bello, popularly known as Hambuger, one of the leaders of the Motorcycle Operators’ Association of Lagos (MOALS), an affiliate of the NURTW in Oshodi.

Lagos State NURTW Chairman, Alhaji Tajudeen Agbede, appealed to the state police command to ensure a thorough investigation into the murder of Hamburger with a view to bringing the perpetrators to book

“It is almost becoming a tradition in Oshodi that a popular figure must die whenever a major election is approaching. We are calling on the police authorities to get to the root of this murder to end the ugly incidents,” he said while appealing to members of the union in the area to remain calm and allow the police to do its job.

A resident of Shogunle, Mrs. Gbemi Ajayi, described Hamburger’s death as a disaster to the Shogunle and Ladipo community. She said: “He was a very popular person in the community. He singlehandedly provided streetlights for more than 10 streets in the area and donated boreholes to the community among his many other philanthropic acts.”