There was a ruckus in Iyana-Ipaja area of Ile Epo Oke-Odo in Lagos on Monday after a policeman attached to Oke-Odo Police Division allegedly killed an Hausa man.

An eyewitness, Agboola Yetunde, disclosed that the deceased had an argument with the police officer who hit him with the butt of his gun.

FIJ reported that the incident caused pandemonium as other Hausa residents started a protest and attempted to set the Oke-Odo Police Station ablaze.

Yetunde gave a vivid account of what transpired.

“A commercial tricycle rider and Hausa man had an argument or disagreement with a police officer who used the base of his gun to hit him in the head. The Hausa man slumped and fell. He was still breathing at the time.

“The other Hausa people in the community, rather than take him to the hospital, carried him to the Oke Odo Police Station in protest. He eventually died there. And then they started a riot, attempting to burn down the police station.

“I had left the place before the man died and was back to my office when we heard a gunshot. People started running towards my side, so we started locking up our shops and before we knew it everyone was dry.

“We heard that the Police were shooting into the air. Then we saw a smoke. Some people said the police station had been burnt, but I went there to confirm. It wasn’t the police station; it was ‘bawler’, the home of the Hausa people. The police were likely the ones that burnt the place,” she said.

Just when it appeared the incident was spiraling out of control, operatives of the Rapid Response Squad (RRS) of the Police the scene and forcefully restored calm to the area.

When contacted, Muyiwa Adejobi, spokesperson of the Lagos State Police Command, stated that the police would soon make an official statement on the incident.