Youths Attack Police Officers, Burn Vehicles During Carnival

CYRIACUS IZUEKWE

The annual carnival put together by youths resident around Kola area ended up on a sad note on Sunday after the youths went on rampage, attacked police officers, burnt many vehicles and destroyed other properties worth millions of Naira in Lagos.

P.M.EXPRESS reports that at least two buses were burnt beyond recognition and men of the FSARS were also attacked but they managed to escape.

It was gathered that the youths had organised the carnival which lasted till early Monday morning when some suspected criminal elements amongst them used the opportunity to commit crimes at about 1am.

Police sources said some of the youths moved to the Abeokuta Expressway and other roads in the area and started robbing innocent people of their belongings in the area.

However, unknown to them the officers of FSARS who were on routine patrol saw what they were doing and arrested one of the suspects, put him inside their patrol vehicle and drove off to their office. By the time the youths attempted to forcefully free the suspect in question, the officers had already transferred him to another vehicle which took him to their office.

The information got to other youths without them knowing that the suspect in question had robbed that morning and they started destroying properties, but by then the officers had tactically withdrawn from the scene.

 When P.M.EXPRESS visited the area, some of the residents confirmed the incident and the damaged vehicles were seen parked where they got burnt.

The incident had also thrown residents into panic especially the parents whom their children participated in the carnival on that day. It was learnt that some parents had either asked their children to stay indoors or relocated them elsewhere pending when the situation will be brought under control. That was also because the parents had suspected that the police might use the opportunity to arrest more youths as suspects and extort from them.