A man identified as Collins Osagie has been killed by about five naval officers over a dispute on N250.
According to SaharaReporters, Osagie, 34, a mechanical engineer, was trying to settle a dispute between a naval officer, Awosanya Olufemi, and a spare parts seller when he was killed.
The naval officer with tag number X8921 was angry that Osagie tried to settle the dispute and called his colleagues to brutalise him, eyewitnesses explained to SaharaReporters.
Osagie was severely assaulted and left for the dead by the officers before he was rushed to a hospital where he eventually died of complications and internal bleeding.
Sunday, a relative of Osagie, who spoke with SaharaReporters, narrated the incident, saying Osagie was working in the area when he heard a noise and stepped in to intervene and settle the matter.
“While he was working for one of his customers in the area, the naval officer and a spare part seller were arguing over a plug of N250. The naval officer came to return a plug he bought the previous day but the seller did not want to collect it.
“Osagie went there to settle the fight, he brought out N250 from his pocket to settle the matter but the naval officer said he embarrassed him by trying to give him the money.
“He then called four of his colleagues to come to the place. The seller got to know that he has called his colleagues and quickly ran away.
“When the colleague arrived, the naval officer, Olufemi, pointed to Osagie, that is how they started beating him.
“People told them that Osagie was not involved and he only came to settle the fight, so they rescued him,” Sunday explained.
He added that not satisfied with the assault on Osagie, the soldiers waylaid him at night when he was going home and further brutalised him and left him for the dead.
He said, “When he was going home at night, unknowingly to him, the soldiers hung around and waylaid him.
“They descended on him again and beat him mercilessly, hitting him with sticks.
“They left him there bleeding while some Hausas who sleep around rushed him to Kena Hospital, Isashi, but he did not survive as he bled so much and sustained internal injuries.”
Sunday said the issue had been reported with the naval officer arrested and currently detained at the Lagos State Criminal Investigation Department, Panti, for further interrogation.
He, appealed to the government to ensure that the naval officer, Olufemi, produced his colleagues and they are all made to face the full weight of the law.
He added that the family had lost fate in the Investigative Police Officer, who was simply identified as Lukmon, due to his unnecessary financial demands.
“We reported the matter to the police and Olufemi has been arrested.
“Since the arrest was made, the police had kept quiet, they did not say anything again and the Navy has not reached out to us about anything.
“We want the government to intervene and ensure that we get justice.
“The matter should be moved to court and he and his colleagues should face the law,” he said.
Confirming the incident, Bala Elkana, spokesperson for the Lagos State Police Command, said they were aware and investigation on the matter was currently ongoing.
“We have commenced investigation into the case. Investigation is ongoing,” he said.
