Policemen attempted to rob us –Bureau de change operators

Entrance of the market. 

Some bureau de change operators on Allen Avenue, Ikeja, Lagos State, have accused some policemen of attempting to rob them.

The traders, who spoke with our correspondent on Wednesday, said the policemen, numbering four, were in mufti when they besieged the area.

One of the traders, who craved anonymity, said when the policemen stormed bureau de change section of Alade Market, they gave the impression that they wanted to change some foreign currencies into naira.

As efforts were being made to change the money, he said the policemen ordered the operators to lie on the floor.

Asked how he knew that the men were policemen, the operator said some of his colleagues identified one of them as Sheu, a policeman.

The trader told Social Activist, “When they came they said they wanted to change 5,000 Euros. We did not think anything was wrong until they suddenly asked people to lie down and shot into the air.

“One of the men was wearing an earring. Some of us ran away but we recognised one of them, Shehu, a policeman. We immediately shouted his name and the men quickly rushed into the danfo bus they brought.”

Our correspondent learnt that when the men ran into the bus, they quickly put on bulletproof vests, which the traders insisted bore resemblance to those used by policemen.

The trader said the men shot into the air and fled the market.

Meanwhile, a young bureau de change operator in the area known simply as Tijani, was shot dead on Tuesday by an armed robber.

Our correspondent learnt that the robbers, who operated on a motorcycle about 4pm, had trailed Tijani from a bank.

Before killing him, one of the robbers snatched the money Tijani had gone to withdraw while the other one shot him.

One of Tijani’s colleagues, who declined to give his name for security reasons, said he did not know how much his colleague had gone to withdraw.

He said, “I think the robbers must have trailed him from the bank. He boarded a tricycle and one of the robbers followed him and tried to snatch the bag from him.

“While they were struggling, the other robber, who had been following the tricycle on a bike, pulled out a gun and shot Tijani in both legs and stomach.”

Tijani’s friend, who spoke pidgin English said people who had been attracted to the scuffle fled immediately the bureau de change operator was shot.

It was learnt that the victim who was from Kebbi State had been buried by his colleagues on Tuesday night.

A motorist, Rotifa Adeagbo, said he was about turning towards the Allen Junction when the incident happened.

When contacted, the Public Relations Officer of the police command in the state, Ngozi Braide, advised the traders to report to the nearest police station or the office of the Commissioner of Police if they were sure one of the men is a policeman.

“I have not heard anything about this matter. But if the traders are sure the suspected robbers were policemen, the proper thing is for them to reportl,” she said.

She confirmed that one of the operators was shot on Tuesday but said she was not informed that he died.

“He was rushed to the hospital but I cannot confirm if he is dead since there has not been an official report on the incident,” Braide said.