Oil Subsidy Protest: LG Boss Seeks Compensation For Victims

Apostle Oloruntoba Toke, Chairman, Ifako/Ijaiye Local Government Area, Lagos, has called on the Nigeria Police authorities to expedite action on the judgment delivered by the Lagos High Court on the extra judicial killing of Ademola Abe by dismissed CSP Olusegun Fabunmi, former DPO, Pen Cinema Police Station, Agege, Lagos.

Oke made this call during a press conference at the council secretariat in Iju, Lagos.

He said the judgment delivered by the court in the civil aspect of the case was a vindication and victory for the deceased.

“I want to urge the relevant authorities, especially the Inspector General of Police, Mr. M.D Abubakar, to expedite action on the judgment delivered by the court in this matter to assuage the family of the victims that sustained gun shots injuries fired by the dismissed Police Officer, Olusegun Fabunmi,” Oke said.

Fabunmi, who was being held at Kirikiri Maximum Prisons, was last Thursday granted bail on health grounds by trial judge, Justice Olabisi Akinlade.

But Oke said the bail for Fabunmi who is facing a criminal case of murder is considered inconceivable.

“In our view, though the learned judge may have based her pronouncement on evidence before her on the bail issue, we are compelled to state that the bail condition granted the accused be meticulously monitored in order to ensure that the course of justice is not perversed,” the council boss stated.

Oke enjoined the court to demand for the international passport of the accused to be deposited with the court, alongside a valid medical report to ascertain his true state of health.

On 9 January 2012, during a nationwide protest against the removal of fuel subsidy the Federal Government, a group of youths within Ifako/Ijaiye Local Government Area took advantage of the on-going work-free day to play football on Yaya Abatan Street.

Among them was 26-year old  Abe who was shot dead, without any provocation by Fabunmi who led a detachment of policemen from Pen Cinema Police Station to the area.

The gun shots fired killed Abe on the spot, while three other youths, Alimi Abubakar, Egbujor Samuel and Chizoba Odoh, sustained injuries.

With the assistance of Oke, Lagos State Government and some civil society groups, Fabunmi was arrested, dismissed from service and arraigned on a criminal case of murder.

After several court appearances, on 14 June, judgment was delivered in favour of the victims and compensations of N1 million were to be given to each victim. This was awarded against Fabunmi, while the Police Authority was also asked to tender a public apology on behalf of the accused.

—Funsho Arogundade