Date: 2016-08-02

By Ahmed 'Lateef Pandemonium broke out in the early hours of yesterday (Monday) in Ilorin when suspected soldiers engaged men of the Nigerian Police Force in gunfight.

The Herald gathered that the shooting spree was in continuation of Saturday evening clash between the operatives of the Nigerian Army and the policemen attached to 'A' Division of the Kwara State Police command after a traffic warden allegedly accosted a military officer for violating traffic rules.

Beside violating traffic rules, the military officer also drove his mercedez C180 black colour car without number plate.

It was learnt that the traffic warden stationed at the junction opposite A Division main gate alongside his colleagues were trying to detain the vehicle when a violent argument erupted.

A source told our correspondent that the policemen allegedly scolded and harassed the military officer, whose identity could not be ascertained at press time, for daring to indulge in verbal tirade after disobeying traffic rules.

Sensing trouble, the military officer was said to have contacted soldiers from 32 Brigade Battalion of Sobi Army Cantonment, Ilorin to come to his rescue.

Upon arrival at the scene of the incident, men of the 32 brigade battalion were said to have engaged the policemen in the division in gun duel.

The incident, which occurred around 4:40pm on Saturday was renewed at about 6:25am yesterday.

The area became deserted as shop owners hurriedly closed for business while the gunfight lasted.

It was gathered that the shooting lasted for about an hour on Saturday evening.

While some pedestrians fled the troubled spot, others took cover near the scene of the incident to avoid being implicated in the free for all.

Vehicular movement was said to have been halted for some period of time while motorists plying the Offa Garage and Ajase-Ipo road also reportedly detoured in order not to be ensnared in the crossfire.

A source said, "The incident started like a movie when the military officer was flagged down for violating the traffic rules. He was trying to resist the traffic warden for his action. It was at that point that the traffic warden attached to the opposite 'A' Division of the state police command accosted the military officer.

"It was in that process that some policemen also joined and scolded the officer. I think the officer was enraged with the way he was assaulted and harassed. He called for reinforcement from Sobi Cantonment and the soldiers upon their arrival engaged the policemen on ground in gunfight.

"The gun duel lasted for almost one hour while people around ran for their lives, even motorists were not left out as many of them detoured to avoid being caught in the exchange of gunshots".

Another eyewitness, who took cover at a shop near the scene of the incident, said the policemen were trying to drive the military officer's vehicle inside the police station when they engaged in war of words.

The source claimed the policemen allegedly pounced on the officer for attempting to obstruct them from carrying their lawful duties of detaining the vehicle.

Describing what to led to the bizarre scene as purely supremacy battle, the source said many passersby were caught unawares and had to scamper for safety.

But the spokesman of the Kwara State Police command, Okasanmi Ajayi, a Deputy Superintendent of Police, when contacted yesterday, denied that it was a case of military officer violating traffic rules.

He told our correspondent on telephone that some soldiers sighted a civilian (an igbo trader) who wore military camouflage nicker and was asked to remove it immediately after following him to his shop.

Okasanmi said the soldiers wanted to take the nicker away but the civilian resisted which led to an argument.

He stated that people around invited a police patrol team to intervene and rescue the civilian from the soldiers.

The police image-maker said he could not confirm whether there was shooting during the incident.