Truck driver killed, banks set ablaze in Apapa

Frustration, anger boiled over in Nigeria’s premier port city of Apapa on Wednesday, as a truck driver was shot dead and two commercial banks set ablaze by angry truck drivers in ‘revenge.’
Olarinde Famous, spokesperson of the Lagos State Police Command, who confirmed the incident, said the trigger-happy mobile policeman had been arrested.
For keen observers of developments within Apapa in the last two weeks, the bloody incident may not present a surprise, as Apapa is synonymous with disorderliness and insanity on the road.
Traffic gridlock within the environs has worsened since the start of remedial work on collapsed section of Ijora-Wharf Road, penultimate Monday. This is even as the alternative Mile 2-Tincan axis towards Creek Road remains in shambles, with haulage trucks and petroleum tankers parked indiscriminately on every available space.
Trouble, it was gathered, started Wednesday morning when a mobile policeman shot the trailer driver. It could not be ascertained what infuriated the policeman. However, unconfirmed reports said he was angered by the refusal of the driver to give money demanded, which is common practice between security agents and truck drivers in Apapa.
According to eyewitnesses, the verbal attacks that followed resulted in skirmishes amid which the mobile policeman opened fire, which fell a truck driver. One of the witnesses, who craved anonymity, told BusinessDay at the scene of the incident that the mobile policeman escaped into a bank.
Angered by the death of their colleague, truck drivers joined by horde of hoodlums were said to have mobilised to the bank to demand the killer mobile policeman be released to them, a request turned by other policemen attached to the bank.
The rioting drivers were said to have gathered disused tyres and set Diamond Bank building ablaze and also torched a nearby Sterling Bank, specifically targeting air conditioners and ATM counters. The rioters were seen molesting bank staff and customers before the security officers arrived.
Soldiers were seen joining policemen from Area ‘B’ Police Command, Apapa, to arrest the situation with several gunshots fired into the air to scare the rampaging truck drivers. Amid fears of possible escalation of the riot and to avoid more damage, other banks in Apapa hurriedly shut operations, and were seen evacuating their staff and customers.
Meanwhile, the management of Diamond Bank and Sterling Bank confirmed there was a fire incident as a result of mob action at their Creek Road, Apapa branches on Wednesday.
In a statement made available to BusinessDay, Chioma Afe, head, corporate communications, Diamond Bank, said the bank was set ablaze by an angry mob after a policeman allegedly shot dead a trailer driver outside the bank premises.
A report from Sterling Bank said an armed mobile policeman fleeing from an irate mob after shooting a tanker driver disrupted banking operations as he ran into the premises of the bank to escape being lynched.
Security operatives attached to the bank disarmed and arrested the fleeing mobile policeman but did not hand him over to the irate mob.
The mob got upset and attacked the bank with the intention of unleashing mayhem on staff and customers. The branch’s reception area was vandalized and set ablaze.
The security operatives attached to the branch prevented the mob from entering the branch while evacuating staff and customers before the arrival of police reinforcement. The branch has been temporarily shut down.
“We wish to inform all our customers that normal services will continue at nearby branches and through all our electronic channels”, a statement from Sterling bank said.
Afe said, “We had a fire incident at our branch office on Creek Road, Apapa which severely damaged branch infrastructure as a result of mob action. While the situation is under control, we are working with the Nigeria Police Force and other law enforcement agencies to investigate actions leading to the fire incident. While these investigations are ongoing, the branch will be closed to customers for their safety and to allow for completion of all repairs”.
“We will continue to provide updates to our customers via our social media platforms and print media and we urge those customers in the Apapa area to use our broad range of alternate delivery channels like the Diamond Mobile app, Diamond Online, Diamond ATMs and Contact Centre to carry out their transactions For those who need to visit a branch location, our closest branches to the Apapa area are situated in Ebute Metta, 1, Market Street,Oyingbo, Opposite Bhojsons Ltd Yaba, Iddo Market Mini, Iddo Ultramodern Market, Surulere, 31, Bode Thomas Street and Amuwo Odofin, Plot Nos 21, 22 & 23 Opposite Abc Transport Terminal are available to process their requests,” the statement said.