Kunle Adelabu
-Reports incident to CRU
-CP has directed investigation – Lagos PPRO
Condemnations has trailed the unprofessional conducts of police officers attached to the Ikorodu Divisional Police Headquarters, Ikorodu, that led to the death of two residents on Friday.
Two residents were allegedly killed at Erunwen along the Obafemi Awolowo Way, after Police officers used their patrol mini bus known as ‘Korope’ in the local parlance to hit them from behind while pursuing them.
Cases of police officers harassing and causing grievous body injuries onto residents while allegedly searching for Yahoo boys, in many parts of Ikorodu are rife. The situation almost led to another round of protest against the Police conduct some few weeks back.
Concerned residents who condemned the Nigeria Police conducts on THE IMPACT platform, have since registered their complaints to Lagos Police Command Complaint Response Unit (CRU).
Mr Kazeem Owoyele, former LP Assembly candidate, who brought up the matter on THE IMPACT platform, narrated the incident.
“Some unscrupulous Nigeria Police officers killed 2 Okada Riders today (Friday) along the Ota Ona- Itamaga Road, very close to Orchid pub and Erunwen Bus Stop here in Ikorodu
“They hit the Okada from behind with the Korope bus while trying to stop the Okada for extortion. A fair complexioned one among the Police officers got down from their bus to swiftly arrest the Okada Riders but the moment he sighted the damages they have caused, he shouted and their Korope bus ran away while the people chased them but unfortunately, they managed to escape.
“The same Authorities that were created purposely to protect lives and properties shouldn’t be the ones that take lives at will.
“The Omo Orushen among us should come together and checkmate the excesses of the bad eggs among the officers in our community and enforce due diligence and process.”
He added:
“The same team had earlier disrupted the people at Ona-Ona with their uncivilized and unprofessional demeanour which almost led to disarray but only for them to end up killing innocent people going by their legitimate hustles.”
A youth leader within Ikorodu, Ogbeni Wunmi Amusa, reacting after watching the video sent in to THE IMPACT platform by Mr Rasheed Fatuga, The Administrator of Ikorodu Ambassadors to buttress the claim of Mr Owoyele, said:
“The fair guy is so despicable, they treat Okada and young boys like criminals, just to extort them.”
United Kingdom based Ikorodu resident, Mr Tosin Mabunmi, also condemning the Police conducts called for severe action against the Police officers whom he alleged have been perpetrating such atrocities in and around Ikorodu.
“That should be yellow or Ejire. Both of them are criminals in police uniform and they are from igbogbo Police Station.
“They need to get them and hand them over to the higher authorities for dismissal.”
Meanwhile, the Lagos State Police Command Public Relations Officer (PPRO), SP Abimbola Adebisi, speaking with our reporter this morning said that the Lagos Commissioner of Police has directed thorough investigation into the matter to fish out the officers responsible for necessary action.
She also pleaded with residents of Ikorodu especially eye witnesses to help the Police in unraveling the identity of the officers involved by providing their vehicle number plate and other information.
“We got to know about the incident yesterday and the CP contacted the DPO Ikorodu Divisional Police Headquarters who said that the mini bus does not belong to his unit.
Following this, the CP has directed a thorough investigation into the matter to identify the Police division that they came from.
“He has also appealed to the members of the public especially residents in that axis to assist the police by providing necessary information that would lead to identifying the officers involved,” she said.
