A naval rating narrowly escaped being lynched by an irate mob in the Kirirkiri area of Lagos last Thursday, when the nation was celebrating her 55th Independence Anniversary, after he was accused of directly causing the death of a truck conductor at about 9 a.m that morning.
According to eyewitness, a team of naval personnel had been deployed from the Naval Base at Satellite Town, Alakija (NNS WEY) to control the heavy traffic occasioned by truck drivers lining that route to get petroleum products from the jetties. But instead, they began to extort a fee of N500 from the trucks.
However, one of the truck drivers, identified as Ibrahim Salima, reported refused to part with the amount, an action that was taken as affront by the naval ratings. One of them was said to have chased the moving truck, and allegedly dragged the motor boy, identified as Abass Kasali, out.
Unfortunately, Kasali reportedly fell right under the truck and was crushed to death instantly. The deceased was reportedly crushed by the truck he was attached to.
The incident reportedly sparked off a wild protest, as an angry mob reportedly descended on the naval rating. It took the combined efforts of armed military men, including the Police to quell the situation.
According to an eye witness, “The driver had gone off his lane in an attempt to evade the naval rating because he did not want to pay the money (N500). But the rating caught up with him and dragged the motor boy down from the truck. Unfortunately, he fell and had his head went under the tyres of the truck, which was still moving.”
The incidence led to widespread protest in the area as tanker drivers took the street in rage, causing lock-down of traffic in the area, as vehicles remained stand still position for the better part of the day.
But the Navy condoned off all routes leading to their barracks and shot sporadically to disperse the protesters.
