Lagos State Governor, Akinwunmi Ambode, on Saturday said Nigerian Army personnel attached to Operation MESA were responsible for the attack on his mother’s home on Friday night.
He said the soldiers behind the incidence would be appropriately sanctioned, although the identity of the attackers remained unknown.
It can be recalled that on Friday night there was an unusual commotion around Mrs. Christianah Ambode’s home at 24 Oguntona Crescent, Gbagada Estate I, Lagos at approximately 7:30 p.m.
Mrs. Ambode’s neighbours revealed that heavily armed gunmen invaded the octogenarian’s residence and disarmed her police detail in what resident suspected was an attempt to abduct her.
But in a statement signed by Habib Haruna, the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Mr. Ambode said the disturbance was between his mother’s security detail and “unruly” military personnel attached to Operation Mesa, a military patrol team in the state.
“We would like to put on record that the disturbance was not a kidnap attempt on the Governor’s mother as nothing untoward happened to her,” Mr. Haruna said. “What really transpired was that a man parked his vehicle in front of the residence of the Governor’s mother and the security detail attached to the building asked him not to park there so as not to block the entrance.”
Mr. Ambode further explained that the unidentified driver who triggered the violence was a military man in mufti.
“The man who claimed to be a military personnel was not in uniform as at the time of the unfortunate incident but he insisted on parking in front of the building on the ground that he was a military personnel.
“He then went on to invite military personnel attached to Operation MESA to beat Mrs. Ambode’s police details after he was advised not to park his vehicle outside the building,” Mr. Ambode said.
Mr. Ambode later said he had ordered state officials to mete out appropriate discipline against those found culpable in the incidence.
“At the moment, officials of the State Government are taking appropriate steps to sanction the unruly military personnel who joined their colleague to disturb public peace.”
The spokesperson for the Nigerian Army’s 81st Division in Lagos State, Kingsley Samuel, said he was not aware of the development.