By Chinyere Aruogu
A senior police officer was among 17 persons arrested and detained by the police in connection with the Wednesday, July 19 mayhem at Apapa area of Lagos.
Two banks- Sterling and Diamond- were razed Wednesday at Apapa by protesting tanker drivers for the alleged killing of one of them by the police in the area.
Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer Famous Cole confirmed the arrest of 18 
persons with a hint that the policeman who released the offensive bullet is a senior cop.
Problem reportedly started when the tanker drivers were advised to park away from the entrance of the banks but they ignored the policemen.
One of the cops was said to have fired in the air to scare them but the bullet caught one of the drivers, incapacitated him and led to his death before help could come.
His colleagues immediately assembled and headed for the banks where the policemen were attached to compel their management to release the cop that shot the gun.
When that was not achieved, they proceeded to set the banks ablaze and to destroy other facilities they could lay their hands on.
The banks staff ran away while their customers fled for their lives to safe places.
Officials of the Lagos State Rapid Response Squad were called in but their presence did not achieve much until the Navy came to assist in quelling the mayhem.
However, although the Lagos State Police Commissioner Fatai Owoseni has denied that the policemen who caused the crisis were not part of his personnel, Cole said one of them is a senior police officer (SPO).
There has been reports of tanker drivers recklessness at Apapa as regards their mode of parking which is compounded by the activities of the police who allegedly collect bribe from them to disregard the way they ought to park.
Commuters plying the Apapa area of Lagos have resigned to fate as both the tanker drivers and the police are believed to be in cahoot in worsening vehicular movement in the place.
Although the Wednesday saga drove the tankers away,
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many commuters still believe government should seek a permanent way of dealing with the impunity that is tanker drivers lot in the area aided by cops who collect bribe from them and look the other way.