Police, pipeline vandals in bloody shootout in Lagos

The suspected pipeline vandals and exhibits

There was bloodbath in Igando area of Lagos yesterday, following a gun battle between pipeline vandals and policemen attached to the Inspector-General of Police Special Task Force on Anti-pipeline Vandalism, which left an undisclosed number of persons dead.

Unconfirmed reports, however, had it that three policemen and nine vandals lost their lives at the end of the shootout.

An account had it that the armed vandals, numbering over 20, positioned themselves strategically in the swamp to wade off intruders.

While some kept watch, others reportedly burst two underground pipelines from where they siphoned petroleum products.

The policemen, who apparently got wind of the operation, reportedly came all the way from Abuja.

On sighting the police, the vandals reportedly opened fire. But for the act of bravery put up by the policemen, the cross fire would have led to a fire outbreak.

Residents around the area told Vanguard that they were rattled by sounds of sporadic gunshots from the creeks.

The residents, who concluded that the gunshots were from robbers, reportedly alerted policemen from Igando and neighbouring divisions.

Effort to get the reactions of the Force Public Relations Officer, Emmanuel Ojukwu, and the Lagos State Command’s spokesman, Kenneth Nwosu, on phone failed as their phones rang without response.

However, a senior police officer, who spoke on condition of anonymity, confirmed the incident.

He was mute on the number of casualty, saying “I cannot tell whether anyone died. If any life was lost, the proof will be the dead body.”