Police, DSS Officials Point Guns At One Another In Airport Scuffle

Officials of two security bodies, who are supposed to be protecting citizens of the country, got into a shameful face-off at the tollgate of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos.

According to Punch, Police officers and officials of the Department of State Service on Sunday, January 18, got into a scuffle at the airport's tollgate over toll fee. An eyewitness, Wale Williams, told the newspaper that the scuffle started after some DSS officials in a convoy of three vehicles seized a toll collector for allegedly demanding money from them, saying they were "officers of the law."

The toll collector had asked for money and had also refused to allow the DSS officials passage. According to the eye witness, the DSS officers who had reportedly refused to pay because they were officers of the law, forced their way inside before coming back to drag the toll collector.

This enraged policemen guarding the tollgate who got into a hot exchange of words with the DSS operatives. "At a point, the officers pointed guns at one another," Wale Williams revealed.

"There were about five of the DSS and policemen there. When the toll policemen said they should follow them to the station, the convoy policemen drew their guns at the toll police officers. The DSS officials too, who had sophisticated arms, pulled them out and it became a free-for-all. It was a real madness," Wale Williams told the Punch.

The DSS officials however agreed to follow the policemen to the station after several minutes of hot exchange of words and scuffle.

According to the Punch, officials of the tollgate also confirmed the incident but it was later learnt that only DSS officials in the car that refused to pay toll fee.