The assumption that the rate of police brutality is on the decrease in a country where the black-uniformed officers are often called ‘civilian’ friends’, the Ajah Police Station, Lagos, has proved the contrary by its gradually assuming the toga of the headquarters of bad eggs in the country’s police force.
Two records of police brutality leading to the gruesome, callous and pathetic deaths of unarmed civilians’ within a month are enough to substantiate this claim if that is not even more than sufficient.
On Wednesday, December 7, 2022, the state Police Command confirmed the reckless killing and “unfortunate death” of one Gafaru Muhammed at the hands of a trigger-happy officer from the station and while his family, friends and associate are still dealing with that, a lawyer, Omobolanle Raheem, was gruesomely murdered in the presence of her family by yet another police officer from the same station.
A background investigation into Gafaru’s death came as a result of a barbaric and sporadic shooting when police officers attached to Ajiwe Divisional Police in Ajah were raiding people, selling black market fuel at the Ajiwe filling station.
The incident and narrative were confirmed by SP Benjamin Hundeyin, Police Public Relations Officer at Lagos State Police Command who said that indeed, the officer was from the infamous Ajah Police Division and has since been detained.
Raheem’s death, on the other hand, being the latest, happened on Christmas Day while she was returning home from Christmas Day Service in the company of her family.
As reported by Theliberationnews, the gun-carrying officer had asked them to park and while they were waiting for the vehicle in front of their car to move to enable them to park, the police officer fired at her at close range hitting her chest.
In solidarity with their kind, It was learnt that after a while, some policemen came and moved her body to the mortuary in Yaba, without obtaining consent from her family members. How callous that is!
This ugly incident has, however, ignited condemnations from various quarters in the society with many calling, unequivocally for the prosecution of the errands officers.
Putting into consideration the 2020 nationwide ENDSARS protest organized by Nigerian youths against police brutality, it’s unimaginable that such has become the order of the day again and one too many from Ajah Police Station which was among the over 17 police stations burnt down in Lagos during the protest.
For this last brutal police killing, the ASP that pulled the trigger must be arraigned and sentenced to death by hanging.
