Area Boys attack 7up Officials, Cart away Refreshments

Seven Up Bottling Company,refreshments provider of the 2nd Lagos Marathon were attacked by Area boys who cart away table water packs and refreshments meant for participants at the Lagos marathon.

News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the officials were attacked at the Palmgroove end of the race along Ikorodu road, where they were stationed to hand over drinks to the marathoners.

The Head of the Seven Up Bottling Company (SBC) team, who identified herself as Kike, said the hoodlums carted away with 500 cartons of drinks meant for the marathon participants as the police refused to help them.

“The hoodlums took all our products packs, about 500, meant for the marathoners.

“I asked for help from the policemen around when the hoodlums were approaching but they said that we should share the products.

“So, when I could not succeed in persuading them, we stepped back.

“The hoodlums were coming to carry the products in packs, so I said that we should be giving them only one since the policemen said that they won’t be able to chase anybody away.

“Before I knew it, my colleague stationed at the Teslim Balogun Stadium came with the same report that the hoodlums had attacked them,’’ she told NAN.

“We don’t have an idea that the police won’t protect us; they just told us that they are not here for Seven Up.

“So, instead of allowing the hoodlums to steal our tents and destroy everything, we allowed them to go away with the products while we secure our assets.’’

The policemen on duty, however, debunked the claims of the Seven Up officials, saying that no officer could have given such order to share the drinks.