A video that has gone viral on the internet has captured the moment the mob which attacked the palace of the Oba of Lagos on Wednesday reportedly shared some COVID-19 materials which they found in the Palace.
The packages been shared were the COVID-19 packages that should have been shared to the people but kept in the palace of the Oba Rilwan Akiolu.
Newsflash247 had earlier reported that suspected hoodlums had on Wednesday morning, stormed the palace of the Monarch, Rilwan Akiolu in reaction to the shootings by security operatives on peaceful #EndSARS protesters at the Lekki toll gate plaza on Tuesday night.
But a team of armed soldiers rescued the Oba of Lagos, Rilwanu Akiolu, from angry protesting youth who reportedly invaded the palace and attempted to burn it down.
Confirming the development to newsmen, the personal assistant to the monarch, Deoye Olumegbon, said a team of soldiers in about five vehicles had responded to a distress call and whisked Mr Akiolu away.
“Kabiyesi is safe. Soldiers came to rescue him. But thugs have vandalised and looted the palace. No one is dead but they carted away valuable properties,” Mr Olumegbon, a prince from the Olumegbon royal family, told our reporter on the phone.
Other witnesses, including a worker at a nearby government hospital, who craved anonymity, confirmed to newsmen how rampaging youths had besieged the palace after successfully burning down the Ebute Ero police post.
The police post, which is located in Idumota, has the palace as part of its jurisdiction.
According to Mr Olumegbon, the divisional police officer at the police post, who was identified simply as Shina, reportedly suffered an injury during the crisis.
He, however, said the palace was not set ablaze as reported in some media.
Another resident of the palace, identified simply as TJ, told our reporter that as of 12 noon, the police officers at the Area A command at Lion Building, Lagos Island, are repelling attacks from hoodlums who are currently attempting to set it ablaze.
Mr Akiolu, a retired senior police officer, is a staunch supporter of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). In 2015, he threatened to harm non-Yoruba speaking residents of the city if they failed to vote for the party’s candidate, Akinwunmi Ambode, during the governorship election.
Meanwhile, the video showed some men bringing out packaged food materials and the crowd which had gathered struggling to get a share of the things been brought out.
The hoodlums had escaped with some Palace artifacts including the staff of office of the first class traditional ruler.
Later, a video emerged on the internet showing some individuals sharing food items with the voice message heard suggesting the packages been shared were COVID-19 packages that should have been shared to the people but kept in the palace.
Watch the video below as seen on Twitter:
