A drunk naval rating has been reported to have shot three persons in Ikorodu area of Lagos State, killing one in the process.

The incident which happened around 3pm on Monday while the yet-to-be identified rating, who was among a team of naval officials protecting the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation pipeline from vandals, drank himself to a stupor while on official duty. Apparently it was his birthday.

A security source said the drunken rating suddenly picked his rifle and began shooting sporadically hitting three residents.

She said, “The officials were on active duty. But they started drinking and one of them became so drunk that he lost control of his senses and began shooting.

“The bullet hit three people in the community and they were rushed to the Lagos University Teaching Hospital. One of them died this morning.”

She said the rating was immediately arrested and detained by policemen from the Ipakodo Police Division, adding that the naval authorities had been mounting pressures for the case to be transferred to them.