At least 10 BRT buses operated by the Lagos State Government through its Public Private Partnership were burnt and five damaged when angry soldiers went the rampage after one of the buses killed a soldier at the Palm Grove area of Ikorodu Road, Lagos State.
It was gathered from residents of Palm Grove, Onipanu, and Obanikoro that the build-up to the clash began as an unidentified soldier, who was riding on his bike on a BRT lane, was allegedly killed by a BRT bus driver at Palm Grove Bus Stop at about 8am on Friday.
Hell was said to have been let loose immediately the news of the soldier death filtered into the ears of his colleagues.
The soldiers were said to have mobilized themselves from Obalende Barracks as soldiers from the OP MESA Unit of the Nigerian Army in Lagos also arrived at the popular and ever-busy Ikorodu Road in Lagos to unleash terror on all buses they sighted.
The drivers of the buses were also attacked by the soldiers.
A source in the area alleged that the soldiers came fully armed and possibly spoiling for war or on a revenge mission.
Our correspondent, who was at the scene of the incident, observed that no fewer than 15 red and blue BRT buses were either completely burnt or vandalized,.
Some of the affected BRT buses burnt or vandalized at Palm Grove, Obanikoro and Onipanu Bus Stops were marked: KJA 612 XA, FKJ 732 XL, KSF 976 XL, KSF 64 XL and KSF 106 XL.
The Onipanu branches of Guaranty Trust Bank and First Bank of Nigeria Plc closed their gates as our correspondent observed that customers were barred from entering the banks.
Soldiers from OP MESA took over control of traffic on Ikorodu Road, even as police patrol teams from Pedro and Alade Police Divisions were seen at the background checking human and vehicular movements.
Meanwhile, as the crisis raged, BRT and LAGBUS buses deserted all routes leading to Ikorodu Road in order to avoid confrontation with the soldiers.
It was gathered that other BRT buses operating along the Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway told their passengers, who were supposed to alight at Oshodi, that their last bus stop was PWD, not Oshodi.
At Oshiodi, Ikeja, Maryland and Ikorodu Road, no single BRT bus was seen once the crisis started.
Commercial bus drivers capitalized on the crisis to increase transport fare from Ketu to Palm Grove.
Before the crisis, the fare was N100.
It was subsequently increased to N300.
The Yaba, Oyingbo and Fadeyi routes from Ketu also went for N700.
Men of the fire brigade were seen at scene of the crisis putting off the fire from the burning BRT buses, while those that were already completely burnt towed away by the towing vehicles of the Ministry of Transport to their yard at Ketu Tipper Garage.
Kunle Idowu, a trader at Palm Grove Bus Stop, blamed the BRT driver for driving recklessly on the road.
Idowu said: “Most of these bus drivers do not have respect for other road users.
“Whenever they are inside their buses they look at themselves as government officials who are untouchable.
“Governor Babatunde Fashola should train his driver and their motor boys on how to tolerate other road users.”
Trending
- Traditional ruler shot dead inside palace
- Primate Ayodele to Yoruba Nation agitators: You can’t break Nigeria
- Police intercept bags of Indian Hemp at Lagos jetty
- Enugu, families to give Ibu, Junior Pope befitting burial
- Police arrest suspects for attempting to disrupt inauguration of commissioners
- Police rescue three children locked up by grandmother + Photo
- Police foil attack in Katsina, neutralise suspected bandit
- US vetoes Palestine’s request for full UN membership