The Ogun Commissioner of Police, Mr Dauru Nkemdem, on Tuesday escaped death at Ibafo area of the state as the nationwide subsidy protests assumed a dangerous dimension.
Nkemdem, who narrated his ordeal to newsmen at a press conference around 11 p.m on Tuesday, said he was at Ibafo to restore peace following reports of hijack of the protests by miscreants.
“I heard there was problem at Ibafo and that hoodlums came and took control of the road.
“I learnt they were robbing people and vandalising vehicles and I therefore directed my Area Commander to move there.
“But later, the situation got worse and I decided to go myself with some of my men.
“On getting to the place; the people battered my car and other backup vehicles.
“We had to retreat because nobody could pass; people from Lagos and people from Ogun to Lagos could not pass.
“We now had to mobilse and try to make way until we were able to make people pass.
“Two of my men were wounded in the process and right now they are in the hospital.
“As soon as I finish here, I will be going to the hospital for treatment because I was hit in the leg and stomach with stones and bottles,’’ Nkemdem said.
Although eyewitnesses said that one person was killed by a stray bullet while the policemen shot into the air to disperse the miscreants, Nkemdem said there was no death.
“In this course of resistance, there was no shooting. As far as we are concerned, there was no shooting.
“What happened was that at the height of it, I had to deploy my Armour Personal Carrier (APC) and we tried to use smoke to disperse the people.
“The APC was blocked by a vehicle they used to block the road and in the process of using the APC to push the vehicle, some of the boys who persisted in staying were pushed with that car and I think some of them sustained injury,’’ he added.
Meanwhile, the Imo Police Command has said that workers’ protest against the removal of oil subsidy in the state has remained peaceful.
The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Samuel Oodee, disclosed this to news men in Owerri on Wednesday.
Oodee noted that the security measures put in place to check crime during the Christmas and New Year celebrations were used to maintain law and order during the strike.
According to him, the situation in Imo is generally peaceful when compared with reports from other states in the country.
He commended the organised labour groups in the state for their peaceful disposition, urging them to remain non-violent in fighting for their rights.
The PPRO noted that some hoodlums would want to use the opportunity to commit crime, but that the police command was ready to confront such people.