Four policemen die, another injured in Lagos accident

Four policemen attached to X Squad of the Lagos State Police Command have been killed after a lorry ran over their patrol van at Ikorodu.

It was gathered that the accident occurred Sunday afternoon along Shagamu Road, Isiwu, while the team was chasing another patrol van that allegedly extorted money from some motorists.

The X Squad team of five policemen including an Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) and an Inspector were in a Nissan frontier van marked NPF409D, but the registration number of the police vehicle they were chasing could not be ascertained at the time of filing this report.

While three of the policemen died on the spot, the Inspector passed on at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH) where he was rushed to alongside the ASP.

According to the command’s spokesman, Olarinde Famous-Cole, an Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP), the driver of the unregistered lorry fled the scene as soon as the accident occurred.

He said: “At about 1pm on Sunday, a team of Policemen attached to X Squad at the State Police Command while on surveillance and patrol duty along Isiwu road, Imota, Ikorodu were involved in a fatal motor accident leaving four police officers in the patrol truck dead.

“The police van had five policemen on-board and was allegedly hit by an unregistered 911 tipper and the driver, who could not be identified at the time of this report, fled the scene.

“It was disclosed that both vehicles were coming from opposite direction at a point near Isiwu town and they colluded, in the process three policemen died on the spot. As a result of that, traffic policemen were immediately dispatched to the scene. An ASP with an Inspector who sustained serious injuries were rushed to LASUTH, Ikeja, where the latter died and the former is currently admitted.

“Meanwhile, corpses have been deposited at General hospital Ikorodu and LASUTH, Ikeja for autopsy. The police patrol truck and  lorry have been towed to the division.

“Investigation is ongoing to apprehend the fleeing suspect.

The Lagos State Police Command mourns the death in active duty of its finest. The command would leave no stone unturned to bring justice to the lost souls.

“We appeal to the public to come forward with any useful information that would lead to the arrest and prosecution of the fleeing suspect and urge Lagosians to be very cautious while driving on our roads.”