UPDATE: Eight hours after barricading himself into the Lagos branch of the children and young people’s protection commission (CPCJ) with three hostages, the father-of-two armed with a shotgun and believed to have been carrying other weapons has been taken into police custody.
António Duarte’s hostages – two men and a woman – have been released, safe and unharmed.
There was no exchange of gunfire, and it appears the 40-year-old – already known to police for domestic violence – gave himself up voluntarily after he was put in touch with his two children.
Duarte told CMTV that his reason for the seige was that he wanted to speak to his children, from whom he claimed to have been separated for over a year.
The tense situation that saw the offices of the CPCJ surrounded by police snipers came to an end after Duarte had a conversation with his children by telephone.
Now on his way to a police cell in Lagos, he is likely to face a barrage of charges, possibly even including attempted murder over the superficial shooting in the head of a PSP agent earlier this morning.
For now, the PSP are promising a press conference at 7pm when more details should be released.
Reported earlier this morning:
A man armed with “a shotgun and various weapons” is reported to have taken three or four hostages and barricaded himself at the Lagos branch of the children and young people’s protection commission (CPCJ) this morning.
According to TVI, a PSP police agent has been injured, not seriously, after the man opened fire when police arrived.
The channel says the man is demanding to see his two children who were recently taken away from him.
Authorities have set up a security perimeter as the CPCJ is near one of the town’s high schools (Júlio Dantas).
Police negotiators are now said to be trying to get the man to surrender.
