ANARCHY: Police Stations, Church, Council Secretariat, Hospital Set Ablaze As Violence Spreads In Lagos, Abuja, Abia
It was a descent to anarchy on Tuesday afternoon, October 2020, with police stations, a council secretariat, and an upscale hospital being set ablaze as violence spread in the federal Capital Territory (FCT) Abuja, as well as in Lagos, Oyo and Abia states following failing government efforts to end the #ENDSARS uprising across Nigeria.
In Abuja, the Dutse Makaranta Police Station, Kubwa, was been set ablaze by suspected hoodlums.
The station and a church were said to have been razed during a clash between security operatives and hoodlums on Tuesday.
The incident was also said to have led to the death of three persons.
In Lagos, armed thugs attacked Pako Police Station, Amukoko, sacked the policemen and set the station ablaze. This happened barely hours after another police station was razed in the Orile rea of the state and bought to three the number of police stations burned down in the state within 24 hours.
Still in Lagos, hoodlums set ablaze Ajeromi-Ifelodun Local Government Area Secretariat located at Baale Street, Ajegunle. More than 20 vehicles owned by staff, who earlier reported for work, were reportedly set ablaze.
Not too far from the scene, the upscale Lagoon Hospital located at Liverpool road Apapa was reportedly set on fire by aggrieved #EndSARS protesters after the hospital allegedly refused to admit a protester said to have been hit by a bullet.
Meanwhile, reports from the country’s South-East said that angry EndSARS protesters had attacked and burnt a police station in the Ogbor Hill area of Abia, the commercial hub of Abia State.
Back in the South-West, two persons were reportedly killed and several others injured in an attack on Ojoo police station in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.
As the violence spread in the third week of the #ENDSARS protests, the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Mohammed Adamu on Tuesday afternoon ordered the deployment of riot policemen nationwide to protect lives and property.
He also deployed police operatives to strengthen security around custodial facilities nationwide.
A statement by Force Spokesman, DCP Frank Mba, titled, ‘Attacks on police facilities, others: IG orders deployment of anti-riot police officers’, said: “The Inspector-General of Police, M. Adamu, has ordered immediate nationwide deployment of anti-riot police unit – the Police Mobile Force to protect lives and property of all Nigerians and secure critical national infrastructure across the country.”
The statement advised parents/guardians to prevail on their children/wards to steer clear of acts of violence and criminality “as the Force will henceforth, exercise the full powers of the law to prevent any further attempt on lives and property of citizens.”