6th December, 2010
The police this morning closed a portion of the service lane on Ikorodu Road from Fadeyi to Palmgrove to prevent youths from protesting the death of a Somolu resident, allegedly killed by a divisional police officer (DPO) at Olosan, Mushin, Lagos.
The police took the action, P.M.NEWS gathered, to prevent the breakdown of law and order following information that the youths planned to march to Alausa, seat of the Lagos State government to register their grievances over the death of a diesel dealer, Femi Olayiwola, who was shot in his car early in the morning yesterday by the DPO of Olosan Police Station, Mushin.
The commander, Area ‘H’, Mr. Godwin Nwobodo, confirmed the arrest of the police officer yesterday to P.M.NEWS, adding that the matter will be investigated and the culprit charged to court.
“I am an Assistant Commissioner of Police. I cannot tell you any lie. The policeman that killed your brother is a DPO in Mushin, Olosan Police Station, and he has been arrested. He is in our custody now. But I do not know why he killed the man,†he stated.
Investigations revealed that the 29-year old diesel dealer was in company of his brother, identified as Sunday and three others, a man and two ladies, in the deceased’s Honda Odyssey car with registration number BX 714 KSF when he was shot dead.
They were said to be coming from a party when they noticed that a Camry car with tinted glasses was pursuing them. In the course of seeking refuge at Onipanu Police Station, the DPO allgedly moved closer to the deceased and fired bullets at him in the car, killing him instantly.
Speaking on the incident, elder brother of the deceased who identified himself as Ola said:†Yesterday, Femi told me that he was going to a party but because I was too tired, I could not follow him.
“ I learnt that on his way back home this morning, he saw a Camry car with tinted glasses moving closer to him and he was afraid to stop. He ran to the Onipanu police station for protection and there the DPO shot him dead.
“I heard people that were with him in the car said a policeman from Olosan police station shot him dead.â€
Ola appealed to the Lagos government and the police to take necessary action against the killer of his younger brother.
Wife of the deceased told P.M.NEWS that his husband was shot dead while coming from a party.
“My husband is not a thief. He went to a party with friends and he was killed just like that by a DPO. I want the government to help me find the killer of my husband,â€Â Tamilore pleaded.
The elder brother to the deceased, Sunday, who was in the car with the deceased when he was shot dead by the DPO, was speechless, when asked to comment on the incident.
A witness at the murder scene, Mr. M. A. Idowu, told P.M.NEWS that the incident occurred around 5a.m. He saw some policemen blocking the service lane. In his quest to know what was happening, he waited and the next thing he saw was that a fat man came out from his car and shot the man that drove a car in his front.
“I was at the bus stop about 5 a.m., going to Ketu when I noticed that some policemen blocked the service lane. I waited to see what was happening. The next thing I saw was that a fat man came out from his car and shot the man in another car in his front.
“Government should hold this station (Onipanu Police Station) very well known to the killer of the man,†he said.
—Paul Sanusi & Ayodeji Dedeigbo
