Lagos task force denies killing pedestrian in Amuwo Odofin

The Lagos State Task Force, yesterday, denied involvement in the shooting at Second Rainbow Bus Stop, Amuwo Odofin, Lagos, that led to the death of a yet to be identified young man.

The man was allegedly shot during an enforcement for compliance exercise on Monday, targeted at Okada operators.

Chairman of the Agency, Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP), Shola Jejeloye, who led the operation, said there is no iota of truth in the report.

He stressed that the operation carried out was smooth and seamless up to the point when the team left the scene.

Jejeloye noted that though enforcement operations are not people friendly, the agency still ensures that human life and property are preserved during traffic enforcement activities as traffic offence is not a criminal offence.

He said: “ Our activities are carried out with the highest degree of civility and caution because we are dealing with human lives in our operations.

“We have been to Second Rainbow more than three times this year to carry out enforcement operations and have never recorded any injuries, talk more of loss of life. There was no provocation at all during yesterday’s exercise, so the claim that we fired live ammunition at Okada operators is completely false.

“It is better to let 20 guilty traffic offenders escape than let one innocent individual lose his life and that is how we operate. I addressed my officers and men last week on the high level of compliance towards the ban on Okada operators across the state, there is no need for us to fire live rounds at harmless Okada operators.

“If things get heated up, the maximum action we can take is to fire teargas canisters into the air to disperse them. Firing live rounds is excessive and was not from any member of the Agency.

According to an eye witness, the stray bullet might have come from other security operatives (not Lagos State Task force), who ran into the mob after we had left.”

The chairman promised to ensure that the state remains safe, clean and habitable for all.