Policemen to face murder charge over Lagos killings

Four police officers arrested by the command ‘decoy’ operatives for alleged extra-judicial killing are to face murder charges in court.

Lagos State police spokesman, Bala Elkana, who confirmed the arrest of the ‘trigger-happy’ officers noted that the attention of Lagos State Police Command was drawn to a video on social media showing some Police Officers shooting two unarmed suspects who were arrested and already in their custody 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 Division Patrol team.

“The incident happened on August 19, 2019 around 3.00pm, when Iba Police Station received a distress call from one Anugu Valentine of 250, Agege Motor Road, Mushin, that he was attacked by a group of armed men numbering about four on two motorcycles at Ipaye, Iba, and they dispossessed him of one iPhone X Max valued at #450: 000.

“Acting on the information, the Divisional Police Officer Iba promptly deployed the Divisional Patrol team to the scene. Two of the armed robbers were arrested while two escaped.

“Two locally made pistols with six life cartridges and five expended cartridges were recovered. The gang is 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 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 extrajudicial killings falls short of police professional standards and cannot be condoned by the Command. The Commissioner of Police Lagos State, 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 Department Yaba for prosecution in the conventional Court.

“Members of the public will be updated on the outcome of the investigation and trial,” Elkana said.