Updated: SARS stray bullet kills cleaner in Lagos

…We did not kill ‘Francis’, Police reacts

Doosuur Iwambe, Abuja

Operatives of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad, SARS, have allegedly shot dead a cleaner while pursuing Indian hemp smokers in Lagos, Southwest Nigeria.

The incident occurred on Monday at Ajisegiri Street, Ilupeju area of Lagos.

The victim was identified simply as Francis.

It was learnt that the SARS operatives reportedly shot at a group of Indian hemp smokers, with a stray hitting the cleaner.

The police officers were said to have fled the scene immediately they discovered that the cleaner had been killed.

With the death of one Mr Francis who reportedly died in the hands of members of the special anti-robbery squad, SARS, the Nigerian Police have in a riposte denied killing the victim, noting that he died on a stray bullet fired when officers were ambushed at Ilupeju area of Lagos State.

Meanwhile, the Nigerian Police have denied killing the victim, noting that he died on a stray bullet fired when officers were ambushed at Ilupeju area of Lagos State.

Mr Bala Elkana, spokesman of the command who made this known to newsmen, said that a notorious gang leader was leading security operatives to where arms were kept at Ilupeju when they (policemen) were ambushed and on the process, a stray bullet fired by one of the gangsters killed Francis.

“SARS Operatives led by Insp Mohammed Akeem while being led by a notorious gang leader, Ikechukwu Monye, ‘male’ 39 years old, to where their arms are kept, were ambushed by members of the gang along Ajisegiri Street Ilupeju.

“The assailants shot sporadically and at the processed killed a middle age man who was passing by. Reinforcement was quickly drafted to the scene’’, he said.