There was an intense fear at one of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC fuel station in Ilorin, Kwara state capital on Saturday as three gunmen reportedly opened fire on motorists queuing for petrol.
While some persons on the queue as well as officials of the station were said to have scampered for safety, two men and a lady were left with serious injuries in the shooting spree which occurred in the early hours.
Eyewitnesses, who spoke with The Nation, alleged that the gunmen were among youths who reportedly forced themselves on the station, located along Offa Garage road to manage the gates so as to reduce the practice by many motorists who jump the queue in their desperate bid to get fuel.
An unidentified eyewitness said, “It was due to an argument among the boys; you know they are thugs and they have been at the gate but we don’t really know what led to the argument but we just suddenly heard the gunshots and it was later discovered that some people were seriously injured.”
“Three of the victims were rushed to a private hospital, Yusjib Industrial Medicare along the same axis,” the unidentified eyewitness was quoted to have said.
Meanwhile, the Chief Medical Director, CMD of the facility, Dr. Yusuf Abdulraheem, told newsmen that the three victims were in stable conditions.
According to him, one of them had been taken to a laboratory where the bullets in him would be extracted.
The Kwara police command’s spokesperson, Ajayi Okasanmi, while confirming the incident, said one of the gunmen has been arrested.
“A locally made pistol and some live cartridges were recovered from the suspect,” the spokesman confirmed.
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