Police officer shoots resident dead during argument at filling station in Lagos

A police officer has shot dead one Toheeb Eniasa, a resident of Lagos, during an argument that occurred at a filling station in the Obalende area of the state.

TheCable understands that the incident occurred on Wednesday evening at a retail station belonging to the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL).

It was gathered that two police operatives in an operational vehicle attempted to drive into the filling station to get petrol with several people on the queue.

But they were said to have been resisted by customers who had been standing on the queue for many hours.

Eniasa was reportedly among the leading voices who stopped the police officers from gaining entrance to the filling station.

The development led to an altercation which made one of the officers to open fire.

The deceased was said to have fallen on the ground immediately after residents heard the sound of a gun.

Angered by the incident, some of the youths at the filling station set the two Hilux vans belonging to security operatives ablaze.

At the time of the incident, residents could not identify whether the shooting was carried out by officers of the police or operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) who were also at the station.

Confirming the incident on Thursday, Benjamin Hundeyin, Lagos police spokesperson, said the officer behind the shooting incident is attached to special protection unit (SPU) base 17 in Lagos.

“Investigation is still ongoing and further findings will be made available,” Hundeyin wrote on X.

Hundeyin said the command is working with the deceased’s family to ensure that justice is served.

Over the past few days, Nigerians have been battling petrol scarcity as long queues encircle filling stations nationwide.