There was pandemonium at the Shomolu area of Lagos State on Sunday when soldiers attacked a bus conveying passengers to church.
The incident happened at Market Street at about 7.30am when the two soldiers went on the rampage over a commercial driver’s blockage of the street.
According to Mary Chodi, a passenger in the bus, the soldiers, who were driving a red Toyota Corolla, with vehicle licence number LAGOS FY 334 LSR, were infuriated when the driver stopped in front of the soldier’s car to pick up passengers.
The driver of the commercial bus was not identified but he fled the scene of the incident after he was manhandled by the soldiers
Chodi told The Eagle Online: “The driver stopped to pick up passengers that morning at Okesuna Bus Stop on Market Street.
“There was this car with solders and a lady, parked by the road side.
“So the driver stopped in front of the car to pick up passengers.
“The next thing we heard was hooting.
“But the driver wanted to ensure that he picked up all his passengers.
“Suddenly, the soldiers alighted from their car and walked up straight to the driver and slapped him.
“The driver zoomed off but the soldiers chased him and dragged him out.”
It was gathered that the driver fled the scene of the incident but the soldiers ordered all the passengers to alight from the bus after threatening to burn the vehicle.
Chodi added: “When they saw that the driver had escaped, they ordered us to come out of the bus as they used a sharp object to burst the tyres.
“They also broke the windscreen and vandalized the bus before they left.
“The soldiers’ behaviour caused a lot of fear and panic in the area as other buses started turning away while people fled the area for fear of being attacked by the soldiers.”
Normalcy has returned to the area but a community leader, Amos Agbede, condemned the incident.
Agbede said: “We know that commercial drivers are very reckless in this area but not withstanding what the soldiers did was unprofessional.
“They endangered the lives of the people by that behaviour.
“These are people they are paid to protect so why unleash terror on them over an issue like this?
“It is really sad.”