Uproar, yesterday, trailed the tragic killing of a Lagos female lawyer, Mrs. Omobolanle Raheem on Christmas Day.
Raheem was shot dead by a police officer at Ajah in Lagos State while returning from a Christmas church service.
   
A similar incident occurred at the same location less than three weeks ago where an officer shot Gafaru Buraimoh.
The Guardian learnt that Raheem’s husband was driving when police operatives pulled up the car. Her children and sister also witnessed the shooting.
 
It was gathered that the officer, an unnamed Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP), who was with a team of policemen before the incident tried to flee the scene immediately, but he was caught and detained by the police.
The late Raheem, a real estate consultant, was in the company of members of her family when she was shot dead.
 
A source said the party was trying to make a U-turn under the Ajah Bridge at about 11:00a.m. when the officer shot at the vehicle.
The bullet was said to have hit the victim and she was rushed to a hospital, where she was confirmed dead.
  
As a result of the killing,  lawyers from the Lagos branch of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), including the leaders of Eti Osa Lawyers Forum, yesterday, stormed Ajiwe police station, Ajah, where the culprit was attached in protest against what they termed ‘one killing too many’.
   
They also held a brief meeting with the Divisional Police Officer of Ajiwe police, Adolf Ogwu, where the vice chairperson of the branch who led the delegation, Abiye Tam George, called for transparency in prosecuting the case.
 
Earlier, the chairman of the branch, Ikechukwu Uwanna, while speaking with The Guardian on phone, said: “This is a very unfortunate incident, it’s catastrophic, it is something that must be condemned by everyone who has civility in them. We are still trying to recover from the rude shock; our heart goes out to the family members who are traumatised by this incident but we’ve reached out to the state’s Police Commissioner who has now detained the officer. Prosecution is going to commence immediately.
 
“We will lead the charge and we have been assured of justice. We will follow up with the trial to ensure that our colleague gets justice.
“I think there has to be improvement in training, proper training of the officers especially on their engagement with civilians. For a traffic offence you see a police officer wielding a gun, it is unheard of that a harmless citizen is engaged like that. There must be proper training and critical evaluation of the mental state before an officer is given a gun, to be sure that they have sound mental state to handle those guns.”
   
Also, the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Abiodun Alabi has assured Nigerians and family of the slain lawyer that justice will be ensured.
Reacting through the spokesperson for the Command, Benjamin Hundeyin, he said: “We condole with family, friends and colleagues of Barrister Bolanle Raheem who was shot dead by a police officer in Ajah on Sunday, December 25, 2022.
[ad 
“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 and Intelligence Department (SCIID), Yaba for in-depth investigation.
“The condemnable incident is against the standard operating procedures (SOP) and rules of engagement of the Force, and to say the least is embarrassing.
“Beyond this incident, 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.
“The Lagos State Police Command hereby appeals to the good people and residents of Lagos State to remain calm as the Command is already in constant touch with the Nigerian Bar Association and other relevant stakeholders towards ensuring that justice totally prevails.”

Meanwhile,  a civil rights advocacy group, Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has condemned the killing of Raheem by a trigger-happy policeman in Lagos.
HURIWA’s national coordinator, Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko, in a statement, warned the police not to cover up the identity of the culprit, an Assistant Superintendent of Police, but reveal his name and photo to the public. The group also demanded the immediate prosecution of the principal “murderer”.
 
“It is very unfortunate that trigger-happy policemen continue to send young innocent Nigerians to early graves and the authorities continue to look the other way.
“The killing of Raheem is particularly painful because officers from the same Ajiwe police station in Ajah on December 6, 2022, also shot dead Gafaru Buraimoh, a resident of Happy Land estate in Ajah.
“HURIWA condemns these heinous assassinations and demands the immediate prosecution of the murderers involved. It is still unthinkable how a family was served the killing of their daughter as a Christmas Day and Boxing Day gift. This is the height of callousness and inhumanity of police officers despite the October 2020 nationwide protests against police brutality and extrajudicial killings.
 
“A report released in 2021 by a human rights group, the Centre for Democracy and Development said over 13,000 Nigerians were extra-judicially killed by security agents in the last 10 years.

“Extra-judicial killings by security agents have reached alarming decibel and must be stopped forthwith! The Inspector General of Police (IGP), Usman Baba; and President Muhammadu Buhari should stop these carnivorous consumption of young, innocent Nigerians by trigger-happy and dark-hearted security agents.” The group added.
Also, the Inspector-General of Police, Usman Alkali Baba, has ordered speedy investigation and prosecution of the officers responsible for the killing of Raheem, describing the incident as unfortunate

The Force Police Public Relations Officer (FPPRO), Muyiwa Adejobi, in a statement said the alleged killer is a police officer attached to Ajiwe Police Station, Ajah, Lagos State, adding that the act doesn’t portray the Nigeria Police Standard Operating Procedure and core values.

The Inspector General, who condemned the shooting and killing, however, commiserates with the family, friends, and colleagues of the deceased as he prays for the repose of her soul, and assured the general public of justice in the case.

The police boss warned men of the force to be professional and people-oriented in the discharge of their duties and operate within the ambit of the law, as the Force’s leadership will not condone any inappropriate or unprofessional acts.