3 Policemen involved in an accident while chasing okada man

Three policemen may have been killed in an accident which occurred when they were chasing a motorcyclist at Cement Bus Stop on the Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway, Lagos, on Friday.
 
Eyewitnesses told our correspondent that the accident, which occurred early in the morning, involved riot policemen.
 
A vulcaniser, who has his workshop close to the scene, told our correspondent that if not because he arrived at his shop late, he would have witnessed the accident as it happened right in front of where he plies his trade.
 
The man, who pleaded anonymity, said, “I got here and saw people discussing the accident.
 
“I was told that the policemen were in a Rapid Response Squad van. The van was chasing an okada rider, who was riding against the traffic and heading to Oshodi. The rider carried two passengers.
 
“They had almost caught the rider when he escaped through a side street. The police van lost control as the driver, who was on high speed, applied the brake suddenly. The van ran into a stationary bus.
 
“The policemen at the back of the van were flung out. I heard that the lifeless bodies of three of the policemen were taken away from here.”
 
Saturday PUNCH learnt from other residents of the area that when the policemen were flung out of the van, some of them might have hit their head on the culvert by the road.
 
Spokesperson for the Lagos State Police Command, Ngozi Braide, told our correspondent on the telephone that it was a minor accident.
 
“The information you got is wrong. The policemen heeded a distress call and were hit from the back by a bus.
 
“Two of the policemen sustained minor injuries and were taken to hospital for treatment. They have since been discharged.”