Adeniji, witnessed the killing of her father,
Rafiu, in the Mangoro area of Lagos state,
another policeman on Saturday, shot to death
a father of three, Azeez Omotosho.
Azeez was allegedly shot in the presence of his
seven-year-old daughter Aliya, in front of
their home at Oyegunwa Street, Sogunle area
of Lagos State. He was allegedly shot twice.
The primary 2 pupil tearfully recounted her
experience to PUNCH Metro . She said, "My
daddy, my mummy and we the children, were
inside the car. When we got to the entrance
of our house, my daddy saw policemen
flagging down his friend's car. He parked and
wanted to help his friend but my mummy said
he should not go.
"My daddy left us and went to see the
policemen while we went into the house. After
sometime, we heard gunshots so we came
outside. My daddy was on the floor. The
policeman then shot my daddy again before
he died."
When our correspondent visited the family
home of the deceased, sympathisers were
seen coming in droves to pay condolence;
Azeez's widow, Sherifat, was nursing a seven-
month-old baby.
Describing the incident as a nightmare, she
said, "The incident happened around 9pm;
Azeez had picked us from my shop on Aina
Street. We drove to our home which is just
about three streets away. Just in front of our
house, Azeez saw a policemen flag down the
vehicle of his friend's brother, Samson and he
went to intervene.
"I told my husband not to intervene but he
said he knew the policeman and would talk to
him. He did not even turn off the engine of
his vehicle before going. The rest of us
alighted and entered our compound when we
heard a gunshot.
"We quickly ran out to see what had
happened. I saw the policeman touch my
husband who was on the floor. When he saw
that Azeez was still breathing, he shot him
again. The remaining policemen fled while the
killer policeman held unto someone and
wanted to frame the person. Look at my little
children, who will take care of them for me?"
Azeez's corpse was reportedly deposited at the
Lagos State University Teaching Hospital
mortuary. As a result of the ongoing
nationwide doctors' strike, an autopsy on the
corpse, is being delayed.
Upon the death of the 35-year-old, irate
youths in the area allegedly marched down to
Sogunle Police Division where the killer
policeman, identified as Corporal Emejo
Gabriel, was said to be attached to.
He was reportedly disarmed and arrested
before being transferred to Area F Police
Command, Ikeja.
Elder sister to the deceased, Aishat Omotosho,
told PUNCH Metro that there was need for the
police authorities to stop extra-judicial killings
as it had become rampant.
Aishat urged the government to ensure that
her brother's corpse was released on time so
he could be buried according to Islamic rites.
She said, "Azeez was a responsible man. This is
not the first time policemen will be doing
this; it has become common and the
government must stop this trend."
Police Public Relations Officer, Ngozi Braide,
however told our correspondent that the
killer policeman was first attacked and beaten
by hoodlums.
She said, "The incident occurred around
10pm. There was a party at Ajisegiri Street
and fighting erupted in the area. Policemen
came up with a 'stop and search' strategy to
arrest the hoodlums. However, Gabriel was hit
with a bottle on his head and they attempted
to snatch his rifle.
"A shot was fired and a life was lost. The
policeman has been hospitalised while his
team members have been arrested and
investigations are on to determine if the
policeman acted in accordance with Force
Order 237."
0 100000:
Post a Comment