‘Police hit my buttocks with machete’ — Lagos residents attacked over ‘ludo game’ recount ordeal

Some residents of Alimosho LGA in Lagos have recounted their ordeal with police officers who attacked them with machetes and bottles.

On Thursday, some police officers on mufti from the Area P command in Lagos state had stormed a shop in the area to arrest some youths who were playing ludo.

The officers, who were armed with Ak-47 rifles, invaded the area with a yellow commercial bus to arrest the youths, but some residents resisted the arrest, saying the officers were not identifiable and playing ludo was not a criminal offence.

VIDEO: The moment police officers arrested youths over ludo game in Alimosho LGA pic.twitter.com/0Aot8Oxxhm

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The police officers, however, phoned their colleagues at the Area P command around the Gate bus stop in Ipaja, alleging they were under attack.

A few minutes later, about 15 police officers stormed the area in three yellow commercial buses and attacked the residents with machetes and bottles.

A police officer had broken an empty bottle on a car mechanic’s head. The mechanic, who was repairing a vehicle in his workshop, was carted away with some other residents and is currently in detention.

One of the youths in the area was chased into a ditch, and his shorts were ripped open.

One of the police officers on mufti hit a young lady, who was making a video, with a machete on her buttocks.

Speaking with TheCable on Thursday evening, the lady said the police officer wanted to collect her phone while recording, but she resisted, and she was hit with a machete.

“Look at me. I still have the picture of where I was hit by a machete. My body got swollen. But I didn’t let them collect my phone while I was recording the attack,” she told TheCable.

Some residents who visited the area command said the police have threatened to arraign some of the residents who have been arrested and detained since Thursday. Some residents have also left the area for fear of further attack by the police officers.

Meanwhile, the Nigeria Police Force said it is a breach of the code of conduct for its officers to go on patrol in mufti, while the use of commercial vehicles for police operations is unacceptable.

When contacted for reaction, Benjamin Hundeyin, the command spokesperson, said he would provide further details on the development.