Tension as several policemen attached to the Iponri Divisional Police Station have reportedly been attacked by hoodlums suspected to be motorcycle riders in the Ijora Olopa area of Lagos State.

It was learnt that the policemen went to the area to implement the restriction order on Okada riders by the Lagos State government when they were attacked.

A source in the area who spoke with our correspondent on the phone said the incident happened around 10 am when the policemen came to the area to impound some okada riders who flouted the restriction order by the State Government when they were attacked by the hoodlums.

The hoodlums were said to have been armed with dangerous weapons, such as cutlasses, clubs, and charms attacked the policemen and also tried to burn the operation van of the policemen but they were prevented by the police response team of Rapid Response Squad and other policemen from the divisions deployed to the scene to prevent further breakdown of law and order at the area.

“Two policemen were seriously injured in the clash, and some of the riders too were injured as some of their bikes were taken away by the policemen who came to assist the Iponri Divisional Police Station men.

“It was a serious situation in the morning as everyone ran Helter skelter in the area, several Policemen sustained varying degrees of injuries in the clash, as some of the policemen’s uniform was torn during the clash. Thank God no life was lost.

“I want to appeal to the policemen to have human faces whenever they are carrying out their operation because the situation of the country is tense as a result of the economic situation of the country.

“I was coming out when I saw people running, immediately I luck my shop and ran to a safe place to avoid being hit by a stray bullet from the police because they were shooting sporadically, they don’t care about the innocent people. Thank God nobody died in the clash, except the policemen and some of the Okada riders who sustained injuries.”

Confirming the incident, the Lagos State Police Public Relation Officer (PPRO), SP Benjamin Hundeyin, said two of their men were injured during the clash, but no life was lost.

He said: “The policemen went to the area to implement the Okada restriction order law by the Lagos State government when the policemen were attacked and some of the riders have been arrested and normalcy have been restored at the scene.” (New Telegraph)