A Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) has called on the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Mr Umar Manko, to check policemen now mounting roadblocks under dubious pretences.
The organisation, the Network on Police Reforms in Nigeria (NOPRIN), which made the call, also asked Manko to ensure a prompt, impartial and exhaustive investigation of all the police officers involved in the illegal operation of a checkpoint at Alakija area of Festac Town, where 33-year-old Oyoma Edewor was allegedly shot dead by Sergeant Otene Godwin. The incident occurred about 11pm on May 10.
Godwin was alleged to have abandoned his duty post as the Station Guard at Area ‘E’ Command and left for Alakija area. NOPRIN’s National Coordinator, Okechukwu Nwanguma, said the organisation noted that the Lagos State Police Command confirmed the arrest of Godwin with Force Number 355272. He said: “We also wish to urge that investigation into this case must be prompt, impartial and exhaustive, and must lead to justice.
“The fact that the sergeant in question abandoned his duty post as the station guard and joined with others to set up an illegal ‘roadblock’ or Female pastor burns 10-year-old niece’s face sistant to Governor Seriake Dickson on Girl-Child Education, Mrs Juliet Konodufaowei, who went to see the girl.
Before the pastor returned from the market, policemen from Azikoro Division were waiting to arrest her. The state Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Alex Akhigbe, said he had not been briefed after Oru’s arrest. ‘checkpoint’ clearly indicates that they were on an illegal duty to extort money.” Nwanguma expressed concern over the resurgence of ‘police checkpoints’ across the state.
He added: “To the best of our knowledge, the directive of the Inspector General of Police (IG) banning police checkpoints across Nigeria is still in force. “We are, however, worried that police officers in many parts of Lagos State hide under different dubious pretexts to continue to flout the IG’s directive. Many of the documented and undocumented incidents of police abuse take place at these illegal checkpoints which are nothing more than avenues for extortion, harassment and extrajudicial killings.
“While we do not encourage citizens to disregard police lawful orders to stop for checks when necessary, we say emphatically that police officers shooting to kill citizens for disregarding such orders even when such citizens pose no threat to them or to others cannot be justified or excused on any grounds.
“The fact that the driver of the commercial van towing the victim’s ‘accidented’ vehicle ignored the orders of the police officers at the checkpoint to stop did not warrant or justify the reckless abuse of firearms and excessive use of force by the police officer to murder an unarmed citizen.
The organisation, the Network on Police Reforms in Nigeria (NOPRIN), which made the call, also asked Manko to ensure a prompt, impartial and exhaustive investigation of all the police officers involved in the illegal operation of a checkpoint at Alakija area of Festac Town, where 33-year-old Oyoma Edewor was allegedly shot dead by Sergeant Otene Godwin. The incident occurred about 11pm on May 10.
Godwin was alleged to have abandoned his duty post as the Station Guard at Area ‘E’ Command and left for Alakija area. NOPRIN’s National Coordinator, Okechukwu Nwanguma, said the organisation noted that the Lagos State Police Command confirmed the arrest of Godwin with Force Number 355272. He said: “We also wish to urge that investigation into this case must be prompt, impartial and exhaustive, and must lead to justice.
“The fact that the sergeant in question abandoned his duty post as the station guard and joined with others to set up an illegal ‘roadblock’ or Female pastor burns 10-year-old niece’s face sistant to Governor Seriake Dickson on Girl-Child Education, Mrs Juliet Konodufaowei, who went to see the girl.
Before the pastor returned from the market, policemen from Azikoro Division were waiting to arrest her. The state Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Alex Akhigbe, said he had not been briefed after Oru’s arrest. ‘checkpoint’ clearly indicates that they were on an illegal duty to extort money.” Nwanguma expressed concern over the resurgence of ‘police checkpoints’ across the state.
He added: “To the best of our knowledge, the directive of the Inspector General of Police (IG) banning police checkpoints across Nigeria is still in force. “We are, however, worried that police officers in many parts of Lagos State hide under different dubious pretexts to continue to flout the IG’s directive. Many of the documented and undocumented incidents of police abuse take place at these illegal checkpoints which are nothing more than avenues for extortion, harassment and extrajudicial killings.
“While we do not encourage citizens to disregard police lawful orders to stop for checks when necessary, we say emphatically that police officers shooting to kill citizens for disregarding such orders even when such citizens pose no threat to them or to others cannot be justified or excused on any grounds.
“The fact that the driver of the commercial van towing the victim’s ‘accidented’ vehicle ignored the orders of the police officers at the checkpoint to stop did not warrant or justify the reckless abuse of firearms and excessive use of force by the police officer to murder an unarmed citizen.
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