A Lagos State Waste Management Agency worker identified as Oluwaseun Thomas, is fighting for his life after he was brutally stabbed in the eyes and head by hoodlums for allegedly reporting their activities to the police. Thomas is currently on admission at a private hospital on the Lagos Island as his condition becomes critical.
According to Punch, Thomas whose station is at Oja Oba Market on Dosumu Street, was initially rushed to the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Idi Araba, to remove the hoodlums’ knife which was left in his head, before being taken to a private hospital for further treatment.
According to reports, Thomas was said to have been beaten up by the hoodlums, before they stabbed him in the eye. It was gathered that he had told the police Special Anti-Robbery Squad, Ikeja, that hoodlums kept weapons in a hideout in the market. The SARS policemen were said to have stormed the market, and recovered the weapons, including cutlasses, knives and guns, but they were unable to arrest the hoodlums.
After the incident, the irate hoodlums planned an attack and on Thursday, January 21, 2016, at about 9pm, the hoodlums struck and left the man fighting for his life. Some of his fellow workers who tried to help him were attacked too.
After stabbing him in the eye through the side of his head, the hoodlums abandoned the LAWMA worker by the roadside with the knife stuck in his eye. He was later rushed to Lagos Teaching Hospital before he was taken to a private hospital where he is fighting for his life.
A resident of the area where the incident happened, Saheed Alatise, said he initially thought the hoodlums came to extort money from the LAWMA workers.
He said, “The hoodlums got information that some LAWMA workers gave the police information on the location of their weapons.
“It was not only Seun (Thomas) that they attacked. They stabbed other LAWMA workers who were rushed to the Lagos Island General Hospital for treatment as well.
“However, they focused on Thomas as they threw him to the ground and punched him. They brought out knives and stabbed him, leaving one of the knives in his eye.”
Another eyewitness, identified only as Alao, said, “The hoodlums were about 10 men. They were led by Agoro, Matanmi and Marcus. Thomas had informed the police about their criminal activities in the market. That was why the hoodlums came after him.”
The Head of Public Affairs, LAWMA, Mr. Lookman Seriki, confirmed the attack, adding that some of the workers had been discharged from the hospital after treatments.
The Police Public Relations Officer, SP Dolapo Badmos, also confirmed the incident, adding that the police were waiting for the complainant to give a lead on the arrest of the hoodlums.
She said, “The matter was reported on that day and the police gave the victim a medical paper to go to the hospital and treat himself. However, he has not turned up since then to allow the police follow up the case.
“The police have been calling him to provide a statement that will lead us to make an arrest, but we have not seen him. We assume he is no longer interested in pursuing the matter.”
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