Police dismiss dead killer-cop

LAGOS State Police Command yesterday dismissed killer mobile policeman, Stephen James attached to Mopol 22, Oduduwa, GRA, Ikeja even in death.

Trigger-happy James had shot dead three innocent persons, which included a twin in Ketu Alapere area.

He was officially dismissed in death by the Provost Department of the Mopol 22 Squadron having been found guilty of abandoning his primary duty post, First Bank of Nigeria Plc, Alapere Branch.

The dead killer-cop had left his place of primary responsibility, which is the First Bank and went to a beer parlour where he went to solicit for a free beer.

A source at the Mopol 22 Squadron told The Guardian that his uniform and other belongings were tried and found guilty.

“This implies that his family would not get any form of benefit from the Nigeria Police for his irresponsible act. We are still in touch with the family of the deceased and we are giving all necessary assistance to ensure that the burden of the family is reduced,” the source said.

It was gathered that the Squadron Commander of Mopol 22 Squadron, Toyin Suleiman had always carried out routine training of the officers to educate them on the need to handle firearms with caution. The commander was said to have disciplined several officers fond of indulging in alcoholism in the past.

The state police boss, Fatai Owoseni had told The Guardian on telephone a day after the killing of the innocent Lagosians that the killer cop ceases to be a member of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) by his callous action, which led to the death of the twins and another person.

According to Owoseni then, “We would try him even in death and dismiss him for his actions. We want to use this medium to express sympathy with the family of the deceased and we apologise for the irrational actions of the policeman, who also took his life.

A drunken policeman, Stephen James, on Saturday shot dead three male customers at a hotel in the Ketu area of Lagos State.

The Guardian learnt that among the deceased were twin brothers identified as Taiwo and Kehinde Oyesunle and their friend known simply as Jeje. The twins were said to be the only children of their mother.

The tragic incident, which took place outside the premises of Paulson Hotel on Anibaba Street, Lagos at about 4:20pm, threw the entire neighbourhood and its environs into agony and panic with passers-by and residents running for safety.

According to eyewitnesses, trouble started when the police Sergeant with Force number 217884, threatened to shoot customers if they failed to buy him an alcoholic drink.

The policeman, who was said to be a chronic smoker of marijuana, however, felt offended after the victims, Taiwo, Kehinde and Jeje cautioned him.

The eyewitnesses said the policeman ambushed and killed the three young men, who were in their early 30s, as they stepped outside the hotel premises where they had gone to celebrate Jeje’s birthday.

It was gathered that when he realized how grave his act was, the policeman allegedly shot himself in the chest.

Lagos State police spokesman, Mr. Joe Offor had told The Guardian that the killer policeman’s beret, shoes etc. would be tried in a police orderly room arraignment where sentence would be passed.