Extra-Judicial Killing: Lawmakers Slam Police

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By Eromosele Ebhomele

The Majority Leader of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Taiwo Kolawole, and his colleagues have slammed officers of the Nigeria Police over recent extra-judicial killings by officers attached to the force.

The lawmakers also accused the law enforcement agents of shelving their duties despite the huge funds released by the state for security.

Kolawole, who was visibly unhappy over the activities of the law enforcement agents, especially as it had to do with the killing of one of his constituents, who was said to have been shot while watching a football match, said it was sad that those employed to care for the people were the ones killing them unnecessarily.

According to him, the police officer accused of killing the football fan shot sporadically and the victim was hit by stray bullets in an attempt to quell an incident of violence between some youths in the area.

He asked the House to help stem what he described as “an ugly incident,” adding that but for quick intervention, the youths in the area would have murdered the police officer.

In his reaction, Adekunle Ademoye, said such incident was rampant in the state.

He said he decided not to complain before the House so that he would not be giving Ebute-Meta a bad name.

He said recently, two corpses were found in the area and some residents took them to the police station, but those that did that were arrested by the same officers on duty on the excuse that the police would investigate their involvement in the deaths.

He also said robbers raided the area and some residents called the police on their mobile phones, adding, “however, immediately the police heard that it was an issue relating to robbers, they switched off their phones.

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“Once the police have issues with you, the next thing they do is bring out their guns and point them at you.”

Rotimi Olowo also explained to the House that the police is only reactive rather than proactive.

“It is what happened in Mushin that has been replicated in Ajeromi-Ifelodun,”

he noted, while he also accused some police officers of aiding robbers.

According to him, “we fund security in the state, so it is time to ask how these funds are spent.”

The Majority Leader also drew the attention of his colleagues to the tension created by the youths in Ajegunle.

He likened the situation in the area to the militancy in the Niger Delta, adding that it is now common to see youths in the area with weapons and always ready for a fight.

He asked the House to come to his aid.

Responding, the Speaker, Adeyemi Ikuforiji, said the police authority should be given some time to act on the complaints the House earlier sent over the killing of some people in Somolu area of the state by the police.

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