The police have announced the arrest and detention of an officer who shot and killed a female lawyer, Omobolanle Raheem.
Raheem was fatally shot by a police officer on Christmas Day in the Ajah area of Lagos.
On Monday, the Lagos police spokesperson announced that the killer cop had been arrested.
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“On the instruction of the Commissioner of Police, the errant officer has since been taken into custody alongside his team members. The CP has equally directed that the case be transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department, Yaba for in-depth investigation,” Benjamin Hundeyin wrote in a statement.
The police did not name the police officer involved but said the “condemnable incident is against the standard operating procedures (SOP) and rules of engagement of the Force, and to say the least is embarrassing.”
News of extrajudicial killings by police officers is not uncommon in Lagos and other parts of Nigeria. In what was described as an accident by the police, officers shot at a guest at a birthday party in April.
The deceased is the second person shot this month by officers from the Ajiwe police division in Ajah, Lagos.
Earlier in the month, one Gafaru Buraimoh was also shot dead by a yet-to-be-identified officer from the same division.
In September 2021, a teenager, Monsurat Ojuade, was shot at her residence by a police officer in the Surulere area of the state.
Condolences
Condolences and condemnations were expressed across Nigeria over the Christmas day killing of the Lagos-based lawyer.
Prominent Nigerians who have sent their condolences to the bereaved family include Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, the Inspector-General of Police, Usman Baba; and a former vice president Atiku Abubakar.
In a statement signed by the police spokesperson, Muyiwa Adejobi, on Monday, the Inspector-General of Police, Mr Baba, condoled the family of the deceased.
He said the action of the police officer does not represent the core values of the Nigeria Police Force.
According to the statement, Mr Baba has ordered a “speedy investigation and prosecution of the officers responsible for the ugly and unprofessional act, which doesn’t portray the Nigeria Police Standard Operating Procedure and core values.”
Earlier, the Lagos police in their statement also expressed condolence to the family and friends of the deceased.
“The Commissioner of Police, Lagos State Command, CP Abiodun Alabi, fdc has expressed heartfelt condolences to the family, friends and colleagues of Barrister Bolanle Raheem who was shot dead by a police officer in Ajah on Sunday, December 25, 2022,” Mr Hundeyin, a superintendent of police, wrote.
Mr Hundeyin said the Nigeria Police Force will carry out a reappraisal of its rules of engagement in a bid to put an end to such “avoidable ugly incidents.”
He urged Lagos residents to “remain calm” and said the police have contacted the Nigerian Bar Association and “other relevant stakeholders towards ensuring that justice totally prevails.”
Abubakar Atiku, the presidential candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), condemned the shooting, describing it as “heartbreaking.” The former vice president called for the reformation of the policing system.
“This latest shooting calls to attention the urgent need for Police reforms that will sanitise the Force and bring it in line with best policing practices,” he tweeted.
“I call on the police authorities and the Justice system to expedite action on the matter, as justice delayed is justice denied.
“This will serve as a deterrent to the incidents of the irresponsible shooting of innocent citizens by law enforcement agents.”
Mr Sanwo-Olu, Lagos State governor, described the news of the incident as shocking and sad.
“My condolences to her family, friends and associates,” he tweeted. “I can assure you that justice will be served.”
Also, a human rights lawyer, Inibehe Effiong, via his Twitter handle, said he and some other people have paid a condolence visit to the Lagos lawyer’s family.
In one of the pictures that accompanied his tweets, the lawyer identified a man whose hands were on his head as the husband of the deceased.
“He could barely utter a word while we were in his house,” Mr Effiong said of the grieving husband.
He urged the police to publicly identify the killer cop.
He also said he found out that the killer cop who is an Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) will be retiring soon.
“He must not be shielded,” he added.
Following the incident, the Endsars hashtag, a movement to end police brutality and extrajudicial killings, once again trended.
An international human rights organisation, Amnesty International, in a post on Twitter “strongly condemned” the killing of Mrs Raheem by the police officer.
“It is horrifying that police officers who are meant to protect lives take it with impunity,” the post reads.
“The Nigeria Police Force’s announcement of an investigation into this tragic incident must lead to justice, and the erring police officers must face prosecution in independent, impartial, public trials.
“Reckless resort of the police to deadly force is a human rights violation. Police brutality must end.”
Omoyele Sowore, the presidential candidate of the African Action Congress, said the police did not take any lesson away from the #Endsars protests.
“A system of impunity that is used to snuff out Nigerians must be stopped! #WeCantContinueLikeThis,” he tweeted.
Using the hashtag, ‘Oyibo of Abuja’, he said the “mindless” killing of the lawyer was “unacceptable.”
