The Lagos State Police Command responded to the viral video
on social media showing some Police Officers shooting two unarmed suspects who
were arrested and already in their custody by arresting the guilty officers and
charging them for murder.
According to the state PRO, Bala Elkana, their action is
against the code of professional conduct and laws guiding how suspects in
Police custody should be treated. The Policemen were identified as Inspector
Fabiyi Omomayara, Sergeant Olaniyi Solomon,
Sergeant Solomon Sunday and Corporal Aliyu Mukaila attached to Iba Division Patrol team.
The incident happened on 19/8/2019 at about 3.00pm, when Iba
Police Station received a distress call
from one Anugu Valentine that he was attacked by a group of armed men
numbering about four on two motorcycles at Ipayi area, Iba and they
dispossessed him of one iPhone max
valued at #450: 000.
Acting on the information, the Divisional Police Officer Iba
promptly deployed the Divisional Patrol team to the scene. Two of the armed
robbers were arrested while two escaped. Two locally made pistols with six life
cartridges and five expended cartridges were recovered. The gang is said to be
notorious for series of robberies in Iba and environs. It was a well celebrated
operation by the team as the suspects were gallantly arrested.
The team however, went extreme by killing the suspects who
were already in their custody instead of taking them to the Police Station and
allowing the normal process of investigation and prosecution to be initiated as
stipulated under procedural laws.
That act of extra judicial killings falls short of police
professional standards and cannot be condoned by the Command. The Commissioner
of Police Lagos State, CP Zubairu Muazu mni has ordered a thorough
investigation into the incident.
The Police Officers are currently subjected to internal
disciplinary proceedings known as Orderly Room trial and if found culpable,
they will be dismissed from the Force and will be handed over to the State
Criminal Investigation Department Yaba for prosecution in the conventional
Court. Members of the Public will be updated on the outcome of the
investigation and trial.
