Policemen who ‘murdered’ suspected phone thieves in Lagos arrested

The Lagos State Police Command has arrested four policemen for extra-judicial killings and for shooting dead two unarmed suspects in Lagos, Southwest Nigeria.

Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Bala Elkana, in a statement on Wednesday confirmed the arrest of the policemen.

A video of the incident which circulated on social media, showed the two suspected thieves being brought down from a commercial bus while one of the policemen shot and killed them.

An argument immediately ensued among them just as the video ended.

The social media had long been awash with condemnation over the extra-judicial killing of the suspected thieves.

Elkana said that the attention of the command was drawn to a video on social media showing some Police officers shooting two unarmed suspects who were arrested and already in their custody.

He said that action violated 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 Monday at about 3.00pm, when the Iba Police Station received a distress call from one Anugu Valentine of No 250, Agege Motor Road, Mushin, that he was attacked by a group of armed men numbering about four on two motorcycles at Ipayi area, Iba and that they dispossessed him of one iPhone max valued at N450, 000.

Elkana explained that acting on the information, the Divisional Police Officer of 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 live 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 killing falls short of police professional standards and cannot be condoned by the Command. The Commissioner of Police Lagos State, CP Zubairu Muazu 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,” he said. NAN