Policeman kills Okada rider, shoots woman

There was confusion and panic at the Ikorodu area of Lagos State, after a policeman attached to the Rapid Response Squad (RRS) of the state government, opened fire on a commercial bike rider, killing him. The shooter also injured a woman.

Eye witness account claimed that the trigger happy cop, named as Haruna, was in the company of three of his colleagues and the four of them had gone to effect arrest of the bike rider for flouting traffic law when all hell broke loose.

Haruna was said to have opened fire on the bike rider later identified as one Lekan.

A passer-by, Modikat Babatunde, was also hit by the bullet. The woman was shot on the hand.

The chairman of the Motorcycle Operators Association of Lagos State, Ikorodu Branch, Mr. Kayode Jimoh, said:  “It all started at about 2.30pm, after four policemen attached to RRS came in a white Toyota Hilux van and parked around Ladega Junction. The police driver remained inside the van while three policemen identified as Haruna, Ayodele and Ismaila, alighted from the vehicle.

“The policemen were trying to seize the bike from Lekan but he was adamant. Haruna suddenly corked his rifle and opened fire, killing Lekan on the spot. The bullet also injured a woman who was standing close by.”

Immediately the policemen realised that Lekan was down and fearing the worst, they had immediately sped off.

The woman said she had gone to collect N50, 000 as part of contribution for a cooperative society she belonged to, when she suddenly heard gun shots and before she knew what was happening, the bullet got her. The injured woman was sad that in the ensuing chaos caused by the shooting, killing of the bike rider and her own injury, someone stole her N50, 000.

Jimoh complained about police extortion, revealing that he had complained several times to police authority about RRS policemen.

“Haruna and his colleagues are very notorious for extortion; most times they don’t even arrest erring bike riders. They go to places that are not restricted such as car washes or in front of bars where Okada riders park their vehicles and then they seize the bike.

“They then take the bikes to Agric area of Ikorodu and then begin to negotiate the release of the impounded vehicle. They usually extort between N10, 000 and N20, 000 from us before releasing our bikes.”

It was learnt that the commander, RRS, ACP Hakeem Odumosu, came to the area to restore normalcy. Odumosu was said to have promised the irate mob that justice would be served.