Police Probe Ota Killings

The police in Ota, Ado Odo-Ota Local Government Area of Ogun State, Nigeria, have  intensified investigation to unravel the circumstances surrounding last week’s mayhem in  Ota, during which some people lost their lives.

P.M.NEWS investigations revealed that about four policemen were wounded when over 100  hoodlums last Thursday invaded Aakasun Ilase village area of Ota.

Besides, the aggrieved men, reportedly laid ambush for the police officers from the Force  Criminal Investigation Department, FCID, Abuja, alongside their counterparts, from Ogun  State Police Command. They also set ablaze a police operational vehicle with security  marked AS 490 GWA.

Other vehicles also set ablaze include a white Nissan Pallet registration number XP 416  AKD, and a M/Benz 190 saloon car, with registration number JB 55 KJA.

A top police officer in the area who craved for anonymity told P.M.NEWS that the policemen  had come to the area with some suspects over the alleged murder of a 45 year old  motorcyclist.

“If not for the maturity exhibited by our officers, the incident could have led to a  clash between the parties and only God knows what could have happened,” he said. He  disclosed that the injured policemen are currently on admission in a government hospital.

Crisis erupted in the area following a Supreme Court judgement delivered on 18 December,  2009 declaring the family of Sule Asade as the lawful owner of the vast land at Aakasun  Ilasa village near Ota.

Dismissing the appeal filed by the appellant, Lasisi Ogbe, the presiding judge who read  the lead judgement, Justice C. M. Chukwuma-Eneh, said: “I find no merit in the appeal  which I hereby dismiss in its entirety. The decision of the court below and the appellate  High court are hereby affirmed with N50,000 costs to the plaintiff.”

Other justices that agreed with the judgement were Justices: Iyoryyer Katsina Alu, Mahmud  Mohammed, Ikechi Francis Ogbu and M. S. Commasie.

—Lanre babalola