They will face murder charges
The Lagos State Police Command has arrested four police officers for alleged extra-judicial killings . The police command said the officers would face murder charges in court. Lagos State police public relations officer ( PPRO) DSP Bala Elkana, said ,:
the attention of Lagos State Police Command has been drawn to a video which went viral on the social media, showing some police officers shooting two unarmed suspects who were arrested and already in their custody . The act is against the code of professional conduct and laws guiding how suspects in police custody should be treated.
“The Policemen were identified as Inspector Fabiyi Omomayara, Sergeant Olaniyi Solomon, Sergeant Solomon Sunday and Corporal Aliyu Mukaila ,attached to Iba police division patrol team. “The incident happened on August 19, around 3:00pm, when Iba police station received a distress call from Mr Anugu Valentine, of 250 Agege motor road ,Mushin, that he was attacked by a group of armed men numbering about four , operating on two motorcycles at Ipayi area, Iba .
Valentine said his attackers dispossessed him of a iPhone Max valued at N450: 000. “Acting on the information, the divisional police officer Iba, promptly deployed the divisional patrol team to the scene. Two of the armed robbery suspects were arrested while two escaped. Two locally made pistols with six life cartridges and five expended cartridges were recovered from the arrested suspects.
The gang was said to be notorious for series of robberies in Iba and environs. It was a well celebrated operation by the team as the suspects were gallantly arrested. “The team however, went to the extreme by killing the suspects who were already in their custody instead of taking them to the police station and allowing the normal process of investigation and prosecution to be initiated as stipulated under procedural laws.
“That act of extra -judicial killing falls short of police professional standards and cannot be condoned by the Command. The Commissioner of Police Lagos State Police Command CP Zubairu Muazu ,has ordered a thorough investigation into the incident.
“The police officers are currently subjected to internal disciplinary proceedings known as “Orderly Room trial” and if found culpable, they will be dismissed from the Force and will be handed over to the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department ( SCIID) Panti , Yaba ,for prosecution in the conventional Court. ” Members of the Public will be updated on the outcome of the investigation and trial”,
Elkana said.
