Christopher Oji
Family members of two men shot dead by police operatives along LASU – Iyana Iba – Isheri road, Lagos for alleged robbery have absolved them of any crime.
They, therefore, demanded public apology, N2 billion compensation from the police and immediate release of the bodies of their children for burial. According to them, one of the victims was a youth corps member while the other was a legitimate businessman
The video of the extra judicial killing of the deceased went viral on the social media and following public outcry, the state Commissioner of Police, Zubairu Muazu, ordered for thorough investigations into the matter.
Consequently, four policemen – Fabiyi Olumuyiwa, Olaniyi Solomon, Solomon Sunday and Aliyu Mukaila, of Adolf police station, were arrested, tried and dismissed from the force. The four policemen are currently standing trial in court for murder.
The families, who spoke through their lawyer, Mr Adesina Ogunlana, said they wanted to clear the names of their children that have been tarnished before they would sue the police for irreparable damages caused to them.
At a press conference in Lagos, Adesina said one of the victims, Ogheneovo Ebobo, was a genuine businessman while Soloja Ayodele Gabriel was a youth corps member serving in Kogi State and had visited Lagos for the Sallah celebration when they were shot by the police.
Adesina, who said he did not trust the police investigation into the matter, appealed to the Attorney Generals of the Federation, Lagos State and Commissioner of Justice, to wade into the issue, to ensure that justice prevails.
He said: “We express, on behalf of our client, deep suspicion and reservation on this development given the dubious and criminal antecedent of the Nigeria Police. In a matter of this nature, only the extremely naive can ever trust the police. The tendency has always been to cover the gross unprofessionalism and hideous crimes of their officers and men. In this case, the police only took some seemingly positive steps in the direction of sanctioning their men, only because of undeniable press exposure of the murder.
“The Adolff police station has made efforts to cover up the brutal murder.
“Our pains are that our clients have not seen the bodies of their murdered relatives taken away by the police. Second, in the preferred charge, against the killer policemen, the prosecutors have already dubiously clothed the victims with the cloak of anonymity. This is plain dishonesty. Our client’s link to the deceased by the enquiries at the Adolff police station is clear, yet the police are telling an official lie that the victims identities are presently unknown.”