Lukman Olabiyi
A civil society organisation, Rule of Law Advocacy and Accountability Centre (RULAAC), has commended the Lagos State Police Command under Zubairu Muazu for condemning and unequivocally dissociating the police from the unlawful action of the four officers who extra-judicially executed two armed robbery suspects
The two arrested police officers allegedly killed the robbery suspects after they had successfully arrested and taken them into custody.
Apart from the arrest of the officers, the group also thump up the command for subjecting them to internal disciplinary processes as a prelude to charging them to court to face trial for murder.
According to the release issued by the group’s Executive Director, Okechukwu Nwanguma, “RULAAC was saddened by the unwarranted and unjustifiable killing of two of four criminal suspects by four police officers attached to Iba division patrol on August 19.
“”The police officers who responded to a distress call, successfully arrested and disarmed two of the armed robbery suspects while the other two escaped.
“However, the police officers went ahead to take laws into their hands by summarily executing the arrested suspects.
“By summarily executing the arrested suspects, the officers went beyond their duties and powers as police officers. They committed murder.”
RULAAC urged the Lagos State police command to remain steadfast in its exemplary disposition to discouraging, punishing and checking abuse of police powers, misuse of firearms and extra-judicial killings by officers in the command.