Youths in Lagos are protesting the death of a bricklayer who was allegedly hit by a vehicle belonging to the Lagos State Environmental and Special Offences Unit, also known as the Lagos State Taskforce, in Oshodi.
According to an eyewitness, the task force vehicle, knocked the young man down while chasing a bus driver around 5:30 am on Tuesday.
The victim who was on his way to work died on the spot. Following his death, some youth took to the street to protest against the unending killings by security officials.
But the task force said it was not responsible for the death of the man. It blamed the death on an errant bus driver.
“A commercial bus driver was illegally loading passengers by the roadside in Oshodi and, on noticing the presence of a Lagos Task Force vehicle, took off recklessly at a high speed, knocking down the innocent young man who was trying to cross the Oshodi Expressway,” Shola Jejeloye, the chairman of the unit said in a statement.
“No gunshot was fired within the vicinity as being rumoured on social media.
“Members of the public are advised to refrain from believing false information released online by mischievous individuals who are out to cause public disorder and unrest in Lagos.”
The highhandedness and recklessness of government officials, including the police, have led to the death of many young Nigerians.
Protesters filled the streets of several Nigerian cities in October calling for the end of extrajudicial killings and large-scale by the Nigerian police, especially the officials of the loathed Special Anti-Robbery Squad.
Dubbed #EndSARS protests, young Nigerians took to the streets in October 2020 for about two weeks to press home their demands for the scrapping of the notorious police unit – Special Anti-Robbery Squad – and reformation of the police force.
The protests were held in states across the country as the protesters blocked major roads which affected the movement of residents.
