Posted by Just three weeks after it was reported that police from the Ajah Division in Lagos State had killed one Gafaru Buraimoh of the Happy Land Estate in Ajah, in the State, they struck again, stealing another innocent Nigerian man’s life, this time Omobolanle Raheem.
According to kuryaloaded, a pregnant lawyer from Lagos named Raheem was ruthlessly shot dead in front of her husband on December 25 for no apparent reason by police from the same Ajah Division.
She was reportedly returning from church, signaling the start of the Christmas season.
She was killed in what have been characterized as cruel and brutal circumstances, drawing widespread criticism from well-meaning Nigerians.
President Muhammad Buhari instructed the police to take “the harshest possible measures” against the perpetrators who had already been detained after the shocking incident.
Garba Shehu, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, revealed this in a statement on Tuesday.
The incident, according to Buhari, serves as a stark reminder of the persistent threat posed by improper handling of weapons and a wake-up call to law enforcement agencies, including the police, to ensure the full implementation of reforms put in place by the administration on the topic of improper handling of weapons as well as the protection of citizens’ rights.
In addition, a statement was released by the Police Service Commission (PSC) denouncing the incident. The report emphasized that the police are supposed to protect and save lives as a result of their establishment and constitutional mandate, not the other way around.
Usman Baba, the Inspector-General of Police, denounced the incident and demanded an investigation in response.
The statement from the IGP was made public on Monday by the Force’s spokesperson, Olumuyiwa Adejobi.
“The IGP has ordered a fast inquiry and prosecution of the officers responsible for the disgusting and unprofessional act, which doesn’t depict the Nigeria Police Standard Operating Procedure and fundamental principles,” he added, describing the occurrence as terrible and sad.
The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), in response, issued a warning that the police were reverting to their earlier violence.
Habeeb Lawal, the NBA’s publicity secretary, denounced the event and urged the police to remember what sparked the EndSARS demonstration that rocked the country.
“The NBA is disturbed that the police seem to be back to the dark days of police brutality, and admonishes that the lessons from the #EndSARS protest should not be lost on any individual or authority.
“In this hour of grief, the nation stands in solidarity with the bereaved family and the NBA. I assure you that justice will be done in this case,” the statement read.
Speaking to the kuryaloaded concerning the killing spree by the police, a security expert who did not want his name mentioned blamed the dysfunctional political structure for the increasing cases of police brutality and criminality.
He said the system favours the bad eggs in society that capitalise on it to cause havoc on innocent citizens.
“If you look well, you will understand clearly that the recruits in the police are vastly responsible for the larger share of police criminality and brutality that occur in the country.
“The recruitment and training process for recruits in the police system makes it difficult, if not impossible, for socially responsible and mentally-balanced individuals to be enlisted. In most cases, criminals find their way into the system.
“The dysfunctional policing in the country isn’t a problem that can be addressed overnight or even tackled by the police themselves. It all comes down to the issue of our political restructuring,” he said.
Double Standard by Police
Meanwhile, famous Nigerian social activist and skit maker, Debo Adebayo, better known as Mr Macaroni, has attacked the Nigeria Police for playing a double standard in handling cases involving their men.
Mr Macaroni was reacting to how the police were handling the killer of Barrister Raheem.
The skit maker said the police protect their men whenever they commit a crime as opposed to how they treat civilians when accused of a crime.
He said, “If it was a civilian that the police accused of a crime, even before proven guilty, you will give us their names, even snap pictures or make videos after beating them up. Keep protecting yours.
“I pray that all our oppressors will answer for their crimes against humanity one day.”