The shooting on Saturday, April 13, that led to the death of a 20-year-old woman in Lagos is said to have resulted in another casualty, with a man identified as Emmanuel Akomafuwa sustaining life-threatening injuries.
Five police officers involved in the shooting of 20-year-old ‘Jessica’ Ada Ifeanyi have been arrested. They are: Inspector Adamu Usman, Sergeant Adeyeye Adeoye, Sergeant Kashim Tijani, Sergeant Lucky Akigbe and, Sergeant Paul Adeoye.
Bala Elkana, Lagos State Police spokesman, said the officers are undergoing internal disciplinary action at the Command’s headquarters, adding that they will be subject to prosecution for murder should the investigation find them culpable.
“The Commissioner of Police Lagos State, Zubairu Muazu, has ordered the immediate arrest and detention of Police officers suspected to be involved in the shooting of Ada Ifeanyi, 20, of No. 4B, Amusa Lane, Off Ojo Road Ajegunle; and Emmanuel Akomafuwa, 32, of No. 52, Babatunde Street, Olodi Apapa, at Akpiri Street, Olodi Apapa.
Recounting the incident, which occurred at around 7am on Saturday, the police spokesman said:
“The victims were rushed to the hospital and Ada Ifeanyi was confirmed dead, while Emmanuel Akomafuwa is currently on admission, receiving treatment from the injury he sustained as a result of the shooting.”
Ada and Emmanuel were reportedly a couple who were returning from a nightclub, Club J5, in Olodi, Apapa, when they were allegedly accosted by officers of the police’s Special Anti Robbery Squad (SARS) on motorbikes.
“Members of the team suspected to be involved in the shooting are from Trinity Police Station and are currently facing internal disciplinary proceedings at the Command’s Headquarters, Ikeja” the police spokesman continued in the press statement.
“Their rifles have been retrieved for forensic analysis by ballisticians. If found wanting, they will be prosecuted in conventional court for murder.
“The policemen arrested are: Inspector Adamu Usman, Sergeant Adeyeye Adeoye, Sergeant Kashim Tijani, Sergeant Lucky Akigbe and Sergeant Paul Adeoye; while Inspector Dania Ojo, who escaped immediately after the shooting incident, has been declared wanted by the Command.”
Commenting in the spate of controversial killing of civilians by the SARS unit, the spokesman said that, “Lagos State Police Command condemned in total these senseless killings of unarmed civilians by a few ‘bad eggs ‘ in the Command, who are bent on denting the image and reputation of the nation’s Police Force.
“The Command will not relent in its efforts in ridding the Force of these criminal elements.
“Those involved in extra-judicial killings and abuse of power are promptly identified, isolated, tried through internal disciplinary proceedings, dismissed from service and prosecuted in conventional Courts.
“Within the last one month, Lagos State Police Command has dismissed four policemen for abuse of power and awarded various degrees of punishments to 41 others.
“The four dismissed policemen were charged to court and remanded in prison custody.
“Our collective resolve in building a more humane, professional, dedicated, courageous and people-oriented Police Force is a task that must be done and together, we can make it a reality.
“The Commissioner of Police extends the Command’s deepest condolences to the family and friends of Ada Ifeanyi, and promised to foot the medical bills of Emmanuel Akomafuwa.”
The victim Jessica was reportedly shot twice in the belly and once on the lap, with her boyfriend Emmanuel shot in the back of his head. A friend, who had accompanied the couple, survived the confrontation unharmed.