Fuel Scarcity: Man Shot Dead During Fuel Queue Commotion In Lagos

A young man, identified as Toheeb Eniafe, was reportedly shot dead at a petrol station belonging to the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited at Obalende in the Ikoyi area of Lagos State on Wednesday.

According to residents of the area, Eniafe was in the queue to get petrol when the incident happened.

The residents said two men, believed to be military officers, attempted to drive into the station to buy petrol even though they were not in the queue to get the product.

They added that the military men’s attempt was met with stiff resistance from people in the queue; many of whom had been waiting for hours.

READ: Fuel Scarcity: FG Commences 15-Day Emergency Fuel Supply

Eniafe, according to eyewitnesses, spearheaded the argument, telling the men to join the queue like everyone else.

This further degenerated into a fisticuff and the eventual death of the young man after one of the men shot him and fled the scene.

A resident, who gave his name as Mr. Amos Ayo, while speaking with Punch, said he witnessed the incident, alleged that the officers were from the Department of State Services as they had their branded polo shirts.

Ayo narrated, “I saw them. They are men of the DSS. They came to the scene to buy fuel but refused to join the queue.

“That is what they always do. It was not Toheeb’s turn yet, but he confronted them, asking them to join the queue or be polite about the way they went about the purchase.

“One of them was so impatient. He slapped Toheeb, and he retaliated with more words. Before we could know it, we heard gunshots, and Toheeb fell to the ground.”

Also speaking, a young man who gave his name as Capo, said, “This place (Obalende) is a very small place. Everybody knows everybody. Toheeb stays in the Dolphin Estate area. He is a Muslim. He is supposed to be buried today, but his body has been taken by the police to the morgue for investigation and possibly an autopsy,” he said.

Asked whether he was at the scene of the crime, Capo said, “Of course, I was there. I saw it with my own eyes. We were the ones who pursued the men that did the crime but one of them shot his gun in the air and people ran away. That was the way he could escape.

“One hid under a bus so we set it on fire. He also ran away. We initially thought they were policemen but they are not. I can tell you that for free. Just imagine how they have taken the life of that young man now for nothing.”

Meanwhile, the state Police Public Relations Officer, SP Benjamin Hundeyin, has confirmed the incident.

Hundeyin said a young man, Toheeb Eniafe, was killed and two vehicles burnt. He, however, said the identity of the shooters was not yet ascertained as investigations were ongoing.

He said, “I can confirm that somebody was shot dead. I can confirm that the body has been deposited in the morgue.

“Two vehicles were burnt. The identity of the shooter is still unknown but investigations are ongoing to unravel that. The deceased’s name is Toheeb Eniafe.”

DSS spokesman, Peter Afunnaya, while reacting to the incident via a text message, denied any of its officers was part of the imbroglio.

He said, “It is not true (that a DSS officer shot Toheeb). Kindly deepen your investigations to uncover the truth. No single DSS staff was involved in the matter.”