As Lagos State Government turns bulldozers on structures built on Makoko waterfront, the? assistant monarch of the slum settlement Mr. Timothy Huntoyanwha was yesterday shot dead by the security officials deployed to monitor the ongoing demolition at Yaba Local Council Development Area (LCDA) of the state.
Speaking with our correspondent, Mr. Ade Aguntor who witnessed the incident identified the man as the assistant Baale of Makoko, Mr. Timothy Huntoyanwha while the security officer whom he identified as a Marine Police officer, who shot Huntoyanwha was Corporal Boma Peddle.
He said the incident happened when the representatives of the community who were sent to Alausa secretariat to hold a meeting with the Commissioner for Waterfront, Mr. Adesegun Oniru were still briefing the elders on the outcome of the meeting held on Friday.
According to him, “at the meeting, the Baale of Makoko Community, Chief Aji Steven was informed that the officials of the state government had arrived to continue with the demolition exercise in his territory. And immediately he heard this, he left the meeting to order his subjects to ensure that they remove all their property from the house before the demolition exercise commenced.”
“Steven who was accompanied by Huntoyanwha sat down to watch how the demolition exercise will commence. As the demolition commenced, Steven? further ordered those whose houses were being demolish to park their woods, that it will be useful.”
While the Baale was still dishing out orders, Peddle stood up from where he was sitting and began to shot sporadically, and “one of the bullets hit late Huntoyanwha in his left side of his stomach.”
According to him ,“Immediately he (Huntoyanwha) was hit by the shot, he alerted the Baale who quickly rushed him into the boat towards Oworonshoki jetty. While on their way to Gbagada General Hospital, Huntoyanwha died.”
He noted that the officer in question has been detained by the Nigerian Police.
It would be recalled that the state government commenced the demolition of Iwaya/Makoko on Monday with the aim of reclaiming the waterfront.