Police to charge NSCDC official with murder over fatal LADOL shooting

Following the fatal shooting of a Korean employee of SHI-MCI FZE at the LADOL Free Zone on April 8, the Nigerian police have resolved to charge the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) personnel guarding the LADOL Free Zone to court for murder.

The NSCDC operative also shot and killed his colleague also guarding the free zone, moments before he shot the Korean employee.

The decision to charge the gunman to court was the outcome of a police report issued by a Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge SCIID, Yaba, (DCP), Yetunde O. Longe, which was dated April 16, 2019.

The gunman was detained by guards and employees of SHI-MCI FZE after he had carried out this terrible act of violence.

He was then handed over to the police for their investigation. The case was transferred to the State Criminal Investigations and Intelligence Department of the Nigeria Police Force for investigation.

The police investigation has now found that the gunman, Innocent Oshemi shot and killed the Korean SHI-MCI employee with his official G5 rifle while on duty at the LADOL Free Zone.

The investigating team took statements from the witnesses to this incident and visited the scene of the shooting. The coroner confirmed that the victim died as a result of injuries received from the gunshot, including ‘penetrating missile injury to the body.’

On careful consideration of the evidence gathered by the police investigation, the Police found that there is a case of murder of the Korean SHI-MCI FZE employee established against the gunman by the evidence.

He will, therefore, be charged with murder and the case file will be forwarded to the office of the Director of Public Prosecutions.

Samsung Heavy Industries Nigeria (SHIN) had at a press conference called for transparent justice for the family of the victim in this case.

At a press conference held in Lagos, which was attended by the family of the Korean victim, Mr. Jejin Jeon, Managing Director of SHIN said, “SHIN would ensure that LADOL and the NSCDC are held accountable for any organisational and management failing that allowed the gunman to carry out this terrible crime in the LADOL Free Zone.”

Jeon also showed CCTV of the shooting of the Nigerian guard and Korean employee to journalists assembled for the press-conference.

The CCTV clearly showed that the LADOL guard fired deliberately at his NSCDC colleague, killing him with three shots at the scene, before moving away to a different location where he also deliberately shot the Korean employee that had been working in a crawler crane within the SHI-MCI yard.

SHI stated that the CCTV and the decision of the Police to charge the suspect with murder is further proof that statements by LADOL and the NSCDC made after the shooting, namely that the shooting of the guard and the SHI-MCI FZE employee was in error, are false.

In a statement issued yesterday, the Chief Operating Officer of SHIN, Mr. Frank Ejizu, commended the Deputy Commissioner, DCP Yetunde O. Longe, and her team for their thorough investigation of the evidence of this case.

‘’This will result in the perpetrator of this terrible crime being charged for his acts. We invite the Director of Public Prosecutions to conduct a transparent and fair assessment of the evidence and to ensure that justice is done and seen to be done.

Justice is important for both victims, for their families and also for all the employees working in the LADOL Free Zone, who are understandably fearful for their safety. The international business community will also be watching this case closely to determine whether Nigeria remains a safe working environment for their employees.” Ejizu explained.