Police tear gas burnt our house – Residents

Occupants of a one-storey building on Sokori Street, Abeokuta, have accused men of the Ogun State Police Command of destroying their building after tear gas canisters fired by policemen trying to disperse protesters, caused an inferno that gutted the entire building.

But the police authorities expressed doubt that the tear gas canisters sparked the fire that left at least 15 people homeless.

learnt that the policemen fired the tear gas canisters while attempting to disperse protesters at Sokori junction opposite Nigerian Television Authority Junction on Wednesday.

It was learnt that although no life was lost, the building, which houses six families, was completely burnt, while property in it were also destroyed.

An eyewitness, who refused to give his name, said the act of the policemen could be described as deliberate because there was no protest in front of the house.

“About four policemen, in a grey Toyota Camry, for reasons unknown, were seen throwing tear gas canisters into the building. May be they felt there were hoodlums hiding inside it, but I saw them do it,” he said.

An occupant of the house, who also craved anonymity, said she could not say what exactly caused the fire.

She said, “I was indoors with my children when suddenly I saw smoke emanating from one part of my room.

“Before I knew it, the fire had spread and consumed most of my property. Luckily, I was able to escape with my children.

“It was later we learnt that some policemen had thrown tear gas canisters into our building which probably caused the fire.”

The burnt building belonged to Alhaji Lasisi Anifowose, an octogenarian.

Lasisi said before going to sleep, some miscreants had tormented passers-by, extorting money from them.

He said, “This had been going on before I went to bed; but all of a sudden, I woke up and discovered that the entire house has been enveloped with smoke.

“I just managed to find a way out before some people carried me and all I saw later was that my house had been razed.”

His wife, Musili, insisted that one of the tear gas canisters fired by the policemen entered the upper sitting room of the building through the window and caused the fire.

Musili explained that the incident occurred around 3pm while she was washing clothes in front of the house.

“The policemen fired the tear gas with the aim of dispersing some protesters, but it went through the window and landed on some property in the upper sitting room,” she said.

She added that immediately she saw it, she raised the alarm, which attracted other residents.

Musili said, “Smoke had already enveloped the building; nobody could enter either from the front or the rear entrances.

“It was then I raised the alarm, telling people to help save my husband so that he would not be burnt in the house. But before anybody could do anything, the house had been completely gutted.”

It was also learnt that no police report had been made as occupants of the building were afraid of doing so.

When contacted, the spokesperson for the state police command, Mr. Muyiwa Adejobi, said on the telephone that investigations were ongoing.

But he added that based on preliminary investigation, the police had nothing to do with the fire.

He said, “Policemen went to the area to disperse hoodlums but the building was already on fire before the arrival of the policemen

“Also, the victims did not report the incident at any police station which is very unusual. I contacted the Divisional Police Officer of the police division in the area to investigate the matter and it was revealed through undercover investigations that an occupant of the house stored petrol in the building which caused the fire.”

Adejobi assured the residents of the building that more investigations would be done so as to ascertain the real cause of the inferno.

“We shall carry out a comprehensive forensic investigation which will reveal the real cause of the fire and the press will be notified of the outcome,” he said.