Drunken naval rating kills one, injures others

A yet-to-be identified naval rating has shot three persons in the Majidun, Ikorodu area of Lagos State, killing one in the process.

PUNCH Metro learnt that the incident happened around 3pm on Monday while the rating, who was among a team of naval officials protecting the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation pipeline from vandals, drank himself to a stupor while on official duty.

A security source said the drunken rating suddenly picked his rifle and began shooting sporadically.

Three residents were said to have been hit by stray bullets.

She said, “The officials were on active duty. But they started drinking and one of them became so drunk that he lost control of his senses and began shooting.

“The bullet hit three people in the community and they were rushed to the Lagos University Teaching Hospital. One of them died this morning.”

She said the rating was immediately arrested and detained by policemen from the Ipakodo Police Division, adding that the naval authorities had been mounting pressures for the case to be transferred to them.

However, a resident claimed the official was celebrating his birthday with his colleagues when he became drunk and began shooting.

The resident said three tipper drivers, Olanrewaju Agbo, Abas and Timothy, were injured during the incident.

PUNCH Metro gathered that the culprit took the victims to the hospital.

He was said to have prevented the victims’ friends from having access to him, sparking a protest.

Another resident explained that other tipper drivers on Tuesday trooped out to look for their colleagues.

A resident, John Osita, said there was a riot in the area as the news spread on Tuesday that one of the men had died in the hospital.

“They blocked everywhere and began to sing solidarity songs and ask the officers to leave their community. Some soldiers and riot policemen were deployed in the area to quell the tension,” he added.

The Command Information Officer of the Western Naval Command, Lieutenant Commander Abdulsalam Sani, explained that the authorities were already investigating the circumstances surrounding the shooting.

He said the suspect would be disciplined at the end of investigations by the naval disciplinary committee.

He said, “A board of inquiry has already been established to know what happened and at the end of their investigations, they will recommend appropriate disciplinary measures.

“The victims are in the hospital and we are going to foot their medical expenses.”