Lagos agency slams company workers for attacking officials

The Lagos State Central Business District has debunked allegations that its officials brutalised and detained three workers of the Erisco Foods Limited in a Black Maria at the agency’s office in the state.

PUNCH Metro had reported that the Chief Executive Officer of the company, Eric Umeofia, in separate petitions to the state Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, and the management of the CBD, said the agency’s officials brutalised and detained one of his drivers, a motor boy and worker in a Black Maria for over six hours like criminals.

Reacting to the development, the Deputy Director, Public Affairs, CBD, Olaoye Olusegun, slammed the company’s workers for mobilising hoodlums to attack its officials while doing their lawful duties in the state.

Narrating how the incident happened, Olusegun said, “On Friday, October 21, 2022, along Billings way, two trucks were sighted by CBD patrol team parked along a busy road where  “NO STOPPING” “NO PARKING” signage was conspicuously erected.

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“On sighting the CBD officials, one of the vehicles moved, while the other was accosted. When shown the “NO PARKING” sign and asked why he parked there illegally, he became confrontational.

“All attempts to make him move his lorry away from the no parking zone fell on deaf ears. Rather than prevail on the driver of the truck to obey the rules, the Erisco staff mobilised some hoodlums within the vicinity to attack the CBD officials who were severely assaulted, injured and beaten up by the hoodlums.”

Olusegun said in a bid to defend themselves and protect the government vehicle in their possession, the officers called for a backup, and a towing truck and Black Maria were deployed to the scene.

“On getting to the scene, the CBD official had been badly injured. The towing truck was used to remove the vehicle from the no parking zone after several attempts to make the driver move the vehicle away proved abortive.

 “The hoodlums fled the scene upon sighting the backup team. The police officers attached to the CBD operatives arrested three of the Erisco staff and were initially taken to the CBD office en-route Mobile Court at Oshodi for prosecution at the Magistrate Court.

“Unfortunately, there was no Magistrate on ground by the time the team arrived at the court premises around 430pm and the mobile prosecutors informed that they can only be arraigned the following Monday,” Olusegun said.

He explained that the police were making arrangements to remand the arrested workers of the company at the Alausa Police Station when the company’s Executive Director, Tokunbo Agbede, visited the office and pleaded that they should be released to him with a promise to provide them in court on Monday.

Olusegun said, “He (Agbede) reneged, vowed never to produce them in court and threatened to deal with the officials. The office was advised at the Mobile Court to re-arrest the suspects.  A formal complaint was made at the Alausa Police Station and a statement obtained.

“Erisco Company was invited by the police but they refused to honour the invitation and rather resorted to threats and petitions to Federal Criminal Investigation Department Abuja who came with an attempt to arrest the Head of Operation of the agency.

“When several verbal threats and blackmail by the company met brick walls, the company made overtures to the President, Manufactures Association of Nigeria, seeking a reconciliation meeting which was obliged.

“A meeting was held between Mr. Agbede and the management led by the Special Adviser where he was neither remorseful nor acknowledged the bad misdeed of his officials.”

Olusegun  said the company was advised to produce the three officials who assaulted the state government officials for prosecution in court.

Reacting, Agbede said, “These people are telling lies; the hoodlums they are referencing are passersby who saw that our staff were not guilty and came to broker peace.

“We are ready to pursue this legally. They asked us to provide our staff but didn’t do so legally even after we asked for a court summons to this effect but they failed to do so.”