The Lagos State Police Command says it has commenced an investigation into circumstances surrounding the early morning fire at the Akere Motor Spare Parts Market in the Apapa area of the state.
There had been reports that a group of gunmen allegedly attacked the market and set it ablaze with a 65-year-old security guard reported to have been killed near the scene of the fire incident.
This was made known in a statement issued by the Police Public Relations Officer, Lagos State Command, Benjamin Hundeyin, who said that the Commissioner of Police in Lagos has called for restraints in giving any form of extraneous colouration to the incident.
Benjamin in the statement titled, ‘Suspected arson at Ikere Motor Spare Parts Market: Police commences an investigation,’ said that a combined team of the police and Lagos State Fire Service succeeded in putting off the fire.
Lagos CP directs state CID to take over the investigation
The Commissioner of Police in Lagos state, Idowu Owohunwa urged Lagosians to remain calm as the State Criminal Investigation Department (CID) has been directed to take over the investigation towards unravelling the true circumstances surrounding the attack.
- The statement from Lagos police reads, ‘’The Lagos State Police Command has commenced investigation into the early morning fire at the Akere Motor Spare Parts Market, Tolu, Olodi Apapa Lagos.
- ‘’The fire which started at about 0300hrs was put out by a combined team of officers from Tolu Police Division and the Lagos State Fire Service. Sadly, a 65-year-old security guard lost his life in the incident.
- ‘’Meanwhile, the Commissioner of Police, Lagos State Command, CP Idowu Owohunwa, has urged Lagosians to remain calm as the State Criminal Investigation Department has been directed to take over the investigation towards unravelling the true circumstances surrounding the attack.
- ’He equally calls for restraints in giving any form of extraneous colouration to the incident, while assuring that the outcome of the investigation will be made public.’’
For the record
- Goods worth millions of naira were reported to have been destroyed in a fire incident that occurred at Akere Spare Parts Market, Ajegunle in the Apapa area of Lagos State.
- This was confirmed on Wednesday in a statement by the Director of Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, Adeseye Margaret, where it was noted that the fire incident started at about 3:28 am, adding that the Ajegunle Fire Station was the first respondent.
- The statement partly reads, “Upon arrival, it was discovered that rows of shops that traded in auto spare parts were well alight that led to Sari-Iganmu and Ilupeju Fire Crews of the Agency joining up to subdued the raging Fire and salvage a nearby major market Petroleum Filling Station with a fully loaded 33,000 liters PMS tanker amongst other adjoining buildings.
- “However, a male adult was recovered by the Tolu Police Division of the Nigerian Police around the scene while the Lagos Neighborhood and Safety Corps and the Red Cross were also in attendance.”
- Meanwhile, it was reported that the governorship candidate of the Labour party, Gbadebo Rhodes Vivour, donated the sum of N15 million to victims of the fire incident.
