At least 27 police stations were incinerated last week in Lagos, after violence erupted across the commercial hub as a fallout of the military fatal shooting of unarmed protesters in Lekki.

The worldwide protests against police brutality were largely peaceful until October 20 when Nigerian troops opened fire on protesters as they sang the national anthem by a toll-gate in the affluent neighbourhood.

The country’s commercial capital was thrown into chaos Wednesday morning, as thugs leveraged the fluid atmosphere to unleash mayhem on police formations as well as other public and private assets in the city.

The affected police stations, Peoples Gazette learnt from security sources, include: Cele, Orile, Amukoko, Layeni, Ilasamaja, Ikotun, Ajah, Igando, Elemoro, Makinde, Onipanu, Ebute Ero, Pen Cinema, Isokoko, Alade, Igbo Elerin and Shibiri.

Others are: Gbagada, Onilekere, Makoko, Daleko, Asahun, Makinyo, Surulere, Amuwo-Odofin, Ojodu and Mobolaji Johnson Station, Lekki 1.

Speaking on the vandalisation of police infrastructure, Lagos police spokesman Olumuyiwa Adejobi, said police duties have been hamstrung by the incident.

“I doubt if some of the grassroots stations will ever function at full capacity again, taking into consideration the damaged vehicles and computer equipment that have been lost”, Mr. Adejobi said Friday.

“The implication of this is that money that has been set aside to do other projects and develop certain areas will have to be channeled into repairing these damaged stations.”

Armed thugs also attacked stations in other parts of the country, including Anambra, where over a dozen stations were burnt down. 

The police lost officers in the attacks on their stations in Lagos, Anambra and elsewhere in the country, although no final toll has been released on police casualties nationwide.  

President Muhammadu Buhari has failed to publicly acknowledge the military attack on protesters in Lagos, but urged a descalation of looting, killing and vandalism nationwide.