10 hours ago
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A resident of Lagos State has accused operatives of the Nigeria Police Force of shooting him after he queried the arrest of some youths in the Powerline area of the state.
The man said the incident occurred last Wednesday at about 3pm when he observed police officers stopping and searching a group of young men before attempting to force them into a patrol van.
According to him, one of the youths being harassed was known to him, which prompted him to approach the officers and ask why they were being arrested.
He claimed the officers warned him not to interfere, but he insisted on knowing the alleged offence committed by the individuals.
He said a uniformed officer later joined the scene, listened to the explanation and ordered the release of one of the youths after nothing incriminating was found during a search.
However, he alleged that the situation deteriorated when another team of policemen, reportedly from Area G Command, arrived shortly after.
“The moment they arrived, they ordered that everyone should be arrested,” he said, adding that most people fled while he remained behind, believing he had committed no offence.
The victim alleged that a senior officer then pointed a firearm at him and opened fire.
“He cocked the gun and shot. One bullet hit my thigh, and another struck my thumb as I tried to run,” he said.
Despite sustaining gunshot wounds, he claimed he was arrested and taken to the Elere Police Station, where officers allegedly accused him of attempting to seize a firearm from one of them.
He further alleged that he and others were assaulted in custody and pressured to admit to offences they did not commit.
“They beat us and tried to force confessions,” he said.
Although he was bleeding from his injuries, he claimed he was detained overnight, noting that officers initially considered placing him in a cell but later refrained because of his condition.
He also alleged that the following day, the police demanded money for bail and other expenses.
According to him, the detainees were compelled to pay compensation for a mobile phone belonging to a passerby, which was allegedly damaged by a stray bullet during the incident.
“One person transferred N150,000 to replace the phone, and we later paid another N150,000 for bail, bringing the total to N300,000,” he said.
When contacted, the Divisional Police Officer of the station reportedly denied the allegations, despite the existence of video evidence related to the incident.
Lagos resident accuses police of shooting him after questioning arrest of youths
