Residents of Oremeji in the Shasha area of Alimosho Local Government Area of Lagos State have been gripped with fear and unrest following a violent altercation that left a Nigerian Air Force officer seriously injured. The incident, which occurred on Sunday, November 9, has triggered days of tension, alleged reprisal assaults, and early closure of businesses across the community.
When our correspondent visited the neighbourhood on Saturday, panic and uncertainty still lingered in the air. Many residents were hesitant to speak openly, citing concerns over further retaliation and the heavy presence of military personnel in the area earlier in the week.
According to multiple eyewitnesses, the officer, who was not in uniform at the time, became involved in a confrontation with local boys who were playing football on Oremeji Street. Residents said the conflict began after the ball mistakenly struck him.
A community elder known simply as Baba narrated the chain of events that escalated into violence. “The ball hit him while the boys were just playing. He became angry, seized the ball, and slapped the boy who kicked it. People begged him to calm down, but he punched the boy again. That was when others stepped in to separate them,” he said.
Baba further claimed that the officer, appearing agitated by the gathering crowd, pulled out a knife, punctured the football, and issued threats to anyone who tried to intervene. In the struggle that followed, some of the boys who attempted to restrain him reportedly suffered minor injuries.
“A fight broke out, and one of the boys overpowered him. He collected the knife and stabbed him in the process. Nobody knew he was a soldier. People rushed him to the hospital, and word began spreading that he had died,” he said. The rumour quickly caused panic throughout the neighbourhood.
Another resident, Sola, recounted the tense moments that followed shortly after the stabbing. Air Force personnel from the nearby Shasha base reportedly stormed Oremeji in large numbers. They went from house to house searching for the boy involved in the altercation and his family. The sudden arrival of uniformed officers caused chaos, and some residents ran from their homes out of fear.
“They came back the next day and again on the third day. People were beaten and some were taken away. Everyone was scared because those responsible had already run away, yet innocent people were being harassed,” Sola said.
The heightened tension forced many business owners to adjust their routines. Eniola, the owner of a small provisions shop, said the community now closes earlier than usual. “People became afraid. We did not know what would happen next. Even traders at Orisumbare were affected because the reprisal spread toward that direction,” she said.
Another resident, Esther Komolafe, described a particularly frightening encounter when officers reportedly released tear gas during one of the retaliatory visits. “We were driving and suddenly saw people running. When we got closer, we realised tear gas had been fired. Since that day, we avoid that route in the evening,” she said.
However, contrary to the widespread rumour that the officer had died, the Lagos State Police Command clarified that he survived the attack. The police spokesperson, Abimbola Adebisi, confirmed on Monday that the officer sustained injuries but did not lose his life.
“There was a fight between some individuals, and it was later discovered that one of them was an Air Force officer. He was only injured. No death was recorded,” she said.
Adebisi added that the incident was not formally reported to the police, but the Divisional Police Officer visited the area independently and confirmed that the officer had been treated and was in stable condition.
Addressing allegations of harassment by Air Force personnel, the police spokesperson denied the claims, insisting that the situation had been brought under control. “The assertion that officers have been disturbing residents is not true. Some personnel attempted to retaliate last Wednesday, but the Divisional Police Officer intervened alongside community leaders. The matter was resolved, and peace has since been restored,” she said.
Efforts to reach the Nigerian Air Force spokesperson, Air Commodore Ehimen Ejodame, were unsuccessful as calls and WhatsApp messages to his mobile number were not answered at the time of filing this report.
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