One gun down over struggle to buy petrol from NNPCL

Toheeb Eniasa, a young fellow, was the unfortunate victim of a violent incident that transpired at NNPCL filling station located in Obalende, Ikoyi.

According to information gathered by our correspondent, the distressing occurrence took place late in the evening on Wednesday, causing a profound sense of fear and unease among the local residents.

Our diligent journalist, presently stationed at the scene of the incident, has been informed by eyewitnesses that Eniasa was waiting in line at the filling station to purchase petrol when the tragic events unfolded.

Eyewitness accounts suggest that two individuals, believed to be affiliated with the military, attempted to bypass the queue and gain access to the station to buy fuel, despite not adhering to the established queueing system.

This breach of protocol was met with strong opposition from the individuals already in the queue, many of whom had patiently waited for an extended period.

Multiple witnesses have corroborated that Eniasa took a leading role in challenging the unauthorized individuals, urging them to follow the proper queueing procedure like the rest of the customers.

Regrettably, the situation escalated into a physical altercation, culminating in the untimely demise of the young man following a fatal gunshot inflicted by one of the individuals involved, who subsequently fled the scene.

The tragic sequence of events underscores the importance of maintaining order and civility in public spaces, emphasizing the need for adherence to established rules and regulations to prevent such unfortunate incidents from occurring in the future.

Nigerian citizens have been facing considerable challenges in procuring fuel over the past several days. This scarcity has resulted in a notable surge in transportation costs and lengthy queues forming at various fuel stations where the commodity is retailed.

An individual residing in the area, who identified himself as Mr. Amos Ayo, recounted an incident he purportedly witnessed. He alleged that the individuals involved were affiliated with the Department of State Services, as evidenced by their attire consisting of 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.”

Furthermore, a female vendor, who disclosed that she was in the process of tidying up her alcoholic bitters stall in close proximity to the fuel station, declined to disclose her identity for security reasons.

She relayed to our correspondent that she distinctly heard a gunshot at approximately 9:30 p.m., prompting her to swiftly vacate the premises.

She said, “I did not even wait to see what was happening. I ran as fast as I could before any stray bullet will hit me. But, I heard from the people who were there that it was two soldiers.

“They are not policemen. One shot the young man and ran away. I learnt they caught one but he still managed to escape eventually.”

Mr. Capo, when asked, narrated his side of the story;

“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 autopsy,” he said.

Capo said, “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.”

Another eyewitness who plead anonymous gave his account as;

“I was at Obalende. I was coming back from work. I can tell you that the shooter is not a policeman but a DSS officer who came to buy fuel but was stopped by Toheeb and his friends.

“They told him that he must join the queue. The man, from what I learnt, told them that the manager was aware of his coming but Toheeb and some other men refused him entry.

“Some guys in the area broke a bottle and were about to attack the officer during the argument and that was when the shots were fired, and they ran away,” he said.

He added, “They burnt two vehicles yesterday. I was so scared as I walked home that night because there were no buses. Everyone was scared. Even the long queue dispersed and the station was closed.”

State Police Public Relations Officer, SP Benjamin Hundeyin, confirmed the incident.

According to him, a young man named Tohib Eniasa was killed and two of his vehicles were burnt.

However, he said the shooter has not yet been identified as the investigation is 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 Eniasa.”

DSS spokesman Peter Afunnaya denies that any of his officers were involved in 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.”