According to reports, military officers shot a businessman, identified as felix, aka Tiger, and two other yet-to-be-identified traders, during a clash with union members and traders at the Aguiyi Ironsi International Trade Centre, in the Paramo area of Ladipo Market, Lagos State.
Witnesses said a military officer and his orderly visited the market on Tuesday, in the morning, to change the spare part he bought from a trader since last week, because it did not work, but the military man did not wear his uniform when he came into the market.
On their way out, some union members, who were at the entrance of the market, reportedly demanded payment of N200 from them for gate pass. The request infuriated the military men and in the process, an argument ensued between them and the union members.
The union members allegedly beat the military man and his orderly, adding that he went back to his base, returned with three other boys and everywhere scattered as they started shooting.
Contrariwise, the Director, Public Relations and Information, Nigerian Airforce, Edward Gabkwat, who gave another version of the story, said a soldier and his civilian friend were in the market for debt collection from a trader when a fight broke out between the soldier and the debtor.
Gabkwat further said it is understood that they collected the rifle of the air force personnel under Operation MESA, and the same soldier, who was under siege by the traders, snatched the rifle back, and was running toward the air force people, but opened fire because he was under threat.
He added that it was an unfortunate situation. It wasn’t as if it was the air force men that opened fire.