The Nigerian Air Force says its personnel did not shoot at traders at Ladipo market, Lagos on Tuesday.
NAF spokesperson Edward Gabkwet said in a statement that NAF personnel attached to the Operation (OPs) MESA were at Ladipo market in response to a distress call.
“A call was put across by traders on a fight going on between a soldier of the Nigerian Army (NA) and a civilian debtor. Upon receipt of the call, the team moved to the market but was attacked by angry traders who pelted stones at them.
“Firstly, NAF personnel did not kill anyone. Moreover, it was one person that died not three. The information we have at the moment is that the NAF operatives who are attached to OPs MESA received a distress call that a soldier was having an issue with a debtor,” Mr Gabkwet said.
He added that the officers went into the market to restore peace and two operatives were injured in the process of maintaining peace in the market.
“We are going to investigate the incident to know what really happened. We will get to the root of the matter and if any of our operatives is found to have acted otherwise, they would be sanctioned accordingly,” he added.
The statement by the NAF contradicted the position of the traders who said NAF personnel opened fire at them.
Market leaders confirmed one trader died while three others were injured and receiving treatment at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH).
