Move by some hoodlums to free one of thier gang members who is currently standing trial before a Tafawa Balewa High Court of Lagos State, was on Monday foiled by men of the armed unit of the Nigerian Correctional Services (NCoS).
The hoodlums numbering about 10, it was learnt, had laid siege around the court premises, when one of them who is a murder suspect and others were about to be taking to the court for the day’s trial.
Ploys by one of the hoodlums to disarmed one of the NCoS’ armed men, led to the shooting of the hoodlums by the prison Officials from Kirikiri prison.
The development, which caused and forced sitting judges to abruptly end proceedings and immediately left the court premises, while their registrars and litigants also took to their heels.
The hoodlums in a further bid to ensure that their member was freed also demobilised two Black Maria vehicles that brought the Ikoyi inmates to court thereby preventing them from leaving the court.
An eye witness who refused to give out his name said, the victim who was shot was allgedly trying to interact with some of the inmates in the Black Maria and was warned severally, but refused to heed thier advise.
Another eye witness who also pleaded anonymity said that “the Warder shot the victim while he was struggling to disarm him”.
It was also gathered that after the victim was shot on the leg, information got to the hoodlums, who swiftly came to barricade the entrance of the court and deflated the tyres of the ‘Black Maria truck that brought the detainees.
A woman who also witnessed the incident said the victim who was shot had mental issues, adding that a senior prison warder, tried to prevent the warder that shot the victim.
It was also learnt that Kirikiri prison warders and the inmates immediately left after the incident and the victim was rushed to the hospital, but the hoodlums who laid seige have insisted that the Ikoyi inmates won’t leave the court.
The situation was however put under control, when men of Nigeria Police from Kam-Salem, were drafted to the court premises.
