Air Force Officer Stabbed During Clash With Street Boys, Sparks Tension in Lagos Community

After a Nigerian Air Force officer was stabbed during a fight with local street boys, residents of Oremeji in the Shasha neighborhood of Alimosho Local Government, Lagos State, were left in a state of uncertainty and terror.

During a visit to the neighborhood on Saturday, our correspondent met with members of the community who reported that tensions increased following a disagreement involving the officer, who was reportedly not wearing his uniform at the time.

The police got into a fight with some youngsters who were playing football on Oremeji Street on Sunday, November 9.

Residents claim that the ball struck him, which sparked the fight.

“The ball struck him while the boys were playing,” said a local known only as Baba. He became enraged, grabbed the ball, and assaulted the boy who had kicked it. Despite everyone’s pleas for him to stop, he struck the youngster once again. Others intervened to prevent him from causing additional harm.

He said that when he saw a throng gathering, the officer allegedly took a knife out of his pocket, stabbed the ball, and threatened anyone who tried to stop him. According to reports, some of the boys attempting to soothe him were hurt in the process.

One of the boys overpowered him and stabbed him with the knife when a struggle broke out. He was a military officer, although no one knew it at the time. He claimed, “We later learned he didn’t survive after they hurried him to the hospital.”

Sola, another resident, claimed that soon after the incident, Air Force soldiers from the Shasha base assaulted the neighborhood and attacked locals while looking for the youngster and his family.

People have been terrified ever since. He claimed that they returned the following day and the day after, picking some up and beating people. “Innocent people were being harassed, but those responsible had already run away.”

Another local, Eniola, stated that many stores now close earlier than normal because they are afraid of retaliatory assaults. “Tension moved in the direction of Orisumbare.” They resumed beating victims after they returned on the second and third days. The people who had stabbed him had already fled the neighborhood, she continued.

According to Esther Komolafe’s second testimony, the officers allegedly used tear gas during one of the retaliations. “As we were driving, we noticed individuals running. We became aware that tear gas had been used as we got closer. We now steer clear of that path after dusk.

However, the Lagos State Police Command spokesperson, Abimbola Adebisi, announced on Monday that the Air Force officer lived, defying popular rumors that the officer had passed away.

“It was later found that the injured person was an Air Force officer following an altercation between some individuals. Adebisi stated, “He was only hurt; no one died.”

The Divisional Police Officer attended the area and subsequently verified that the officer had gotten treatment, she continued, despite the fact that the issue was not reported to the police station.

“The claim that officers have been disturbing residents is not true,” Adebisi stated in response to claims of harassment by Air Force personnel. Community leaders and the DPO intervened last Wednesday when some of them tried to retaliate. There has been calm in the area ever since the issue was settled.

At the time of reporting this article, calls and WhatsApp messages to Air Commodore Ehimen Ejodame, the spokesperson for the Nigerian Air Force, were not returned.