Nigerian Army says soldiers caught on camera vandalizing Lagos buses are "area boys"

A soldier was allegedly killed by a BRT bus.

Soldiers are on a rampage along Ikorodu Road in Lagos destroying BRT buses, residents have said.

The soldiers’ actions was said to be caused by a BRT bus that allegedly run a soldier over at the Palmgrove bus stop killing him.

Eyewitnesses at the scene of the mayhem said the soldier that was knocked down by the bus was on the BRT lane and wasn’t killed. Some of them said he made a pbone call after he was knocked down and refused to listen to the pleas from those at the scene to forgive the driver of the bus.

Apparently the incident has caused massive traffic leading all the way to the Berger area of Lagos.

Public Relations Officer of the Nigerian Army, Gen. Olajide Olaleye, told PREMIUM TIMES “area boys,” not Nigerian soldiers carried out the rampage.

“It’s not true that soldier destroyed buses or set any bus on fire,” he said. “What happened was that a BRT bus knocked down a soldier and killed him. As usual in Lagos so area boys gathered and a few soldiers stopped at the scene as well. The GOC has dispatched military policemen to the scene to help restore law and order.”

LAMATA pro says he’s in a noisy area and could not talk to PREMIUM TIMES immediately.

One of the soldiers captured on camera smashing a BRT windscreen

Our reporter counted six burnt buses and three others with broken windscreen so far.

Support PREMIUM TIMES' journalism of integrity and credibility

Good journalism costs a lot of money. Yet only good journalism can ensure the possibility of a good society, an accountable democracy, and a transparent government.

For continued free access to the best investigative journalism in the country we ask you to consider making a modest support to this noble endeavour.

By contributing to PREMIUM TIMES, you are helping to sustain a journalism of relevance and ensuring it remains free and available to all.

Nicholas Ibekwe

Nicholas Ibekwe is PREMIUM TIMES’ Head of Investigations. He is a graduate of English Language from the Lagos State University. He has a Master’s in International Journalism from City University, London, United Kingdom.

Nicholas, who is 2016 fellow of the World Press Fellowship, has won several awards for his work including the Wole Soyinka Prize for Investigative Journalism, two-time finalist, FAIR( Forum for African Investigative Reporters) Award, and Chevening Scholarship. Twitter: @nicholasibekwe

DOWNLOAD THE PREMIUM TIMES MOBILE APP

Now available on

All rights reserved. This material and any other material on this platform may not be reproduced, published, broadcast, written or distributed in full or in part, without written permission from PREMIUM TIMES.