The Lagos State Police Command says it has not confirmed reports that officers fired tear gas at traders protesting prolonged power outages in Tejuosho Market, Yaba, on Thursday.
Police spokesperson SP Abimbola Adebisi told Vanguard by phone that the report “just came to her table” and would require verification before any official statement is issued.
Traders had earlier staged a demonstration over weeks of blackout, saying it was crippling their businesses. Eyewitnesses claimed the protest, initially peaceful, turned chaotic when police allegedly used tear gas to disperse the crowd.
Videos circulated online showed traders running, coughing, and leaving behind goods as canisters went off in the market. One trader, Mrs. Folashade Adekunle, said, “We were only shouting ‘No light, no business’ when suddenly police started firing gas.” She added that perishable goods were destroyed in the chaos.
The Lagos State Electricity Board said the outage was caused by a technical fault on the distribution line serving the market and promised restoration within 24 hours.
