Lagos — The Commandant of the Nigerian Armed Forces Resettlement Centre (NAFRC), Air Vice Marshal (AVM) Samuel Atti yesterday said none of his men were involved in last Thursday's clash between soldiers and police in Lagos .

A yet to be ascertained number of persons among whom were soldiers and policemen had sustained severe injuries in the fracas that broke out at Charity Bus Stop area of Oshodi/Mile 2 expressway. Although no life was lost in the crisis, which eventually crippled business and human activities in the area, reports has it that those injured were treated at a military hospital located inside NAFRC.

The centre's Information Officer, Lieutenant Commander Anioke, who spoke to THISDAY yesterday, stated that the Commandant ensured that the fracas was brought to an end by the time the news of the got to him. Anioke, who could not say exactly how the trouble began said that some soldiers rushed into the center to inform the authority that some of their colleagues were being attacked by some mobile policemen attached to the Lagos State Traffic Management Agency (LASTMA).

"Though, investigation into the cause of attack was still on, preliminary investigations conducted at the instance of the Commandant was that the policemen attacked two naval personnel in a commercial bus following a minor argument that ensured between officials of LASTMA and the naval men," he added. According to him, hell was let lose when some soldiers who were also traveling in another commercial vehicle arrived the place. Anioke added that "a good number of those injured were treated in our hospital. It was the intervention of the Commandant that brought the situation under control, if not it would have been worse than what we saw."

The recent clash between the Army and Police came barely 10 days after the new General Officer Commanding (GOC) 81 Division of the Nigerian Army, Lieutenant General Sunday Chilwe sought the cooperation of the police in the discharge of the army's duties. This, he said, would curb any clash between personnel of the two security organisations in Lagos.