How family of six escapes police bullets

A family of six escaped police bullets during the weekend after a woman raised a false alarm at Ogudu Ori-Oke, Ogudu, Lagos State, that robbers snatched her Toyota Camry car.

The policeman, Inspector, Christian Onawona, attached to the Rapid Response Squad (RRS) of Lagos State Police Command, said he would have killed some members of the family inside a Camry car, if not that he had applied wisdom.

Rather open fire on the ‘supposedly escaping robbers’ car as some policemen would have done, Onawona had shot sporadically into the air.  The driver of the Camry had quickly halted.

When Onawona cautiously drew closer to the car, he realized that three women, one male and two kids were occupants of the car.

It was later discovered that the woman who raised the false alarm did it deliberately because the owner of the Camry car was allegedly indebted to her husband.

The woman, Lauretta Ehon was said to have ran to inform RRS operatives patrolling Ogundu axis around 5:30pm, that some armed robbers just snatched her Toyota Camry car 2012.

A police source said: “Inspector Onawona followed the complainant to give the supposed fleeing robbers a chase. There was a heavy traffic, but in order to catch up with the thieves, the officer alighted from his official vehicle, mounted a motor bike and pursued the supposed robbers. “The occupants of the Camry car never had inkling that they were on the verge of being mistaken for robbers.
In order to prevent the robbers from making away with the Camry car marked EP 932 KRD, Onawona shot into air. Upon hearing the gunshot, the driver of the vehicle applied the brake instantly. Onawona cautiously approached the supposedly stolen Camry car only to discover that the occupants were three female, one male and two children.”
The occupants of the vehicle were, Sekinat Sanni, Wasiu Balogun, Bisola Balogun and Rukayat Joseph. The little children were, Sameer Balogun and Motunrayo Joseph of one and two year old respectively, all family going on social outing.

Police preliminary investigations revealed that the complainant Mrs. Ehon lied to the police.

The police said that Mr. Ehon and the owner of the Camry, Mr. Balogun, had a business transaction six years ago, but the deal didn’t go through.

The police said: “Mr. Balogun and Mr. Ehon transacted a business which had to do with clearing of a second car from overseas. The vehicle went into demurrage after the client; Mr. Ehon paid the clearing agent, Mr. Balogun.  They however settled the matter amicably between them because they both work in the same company in Apapa. But Mrs. Ehon vowed that she would collect the money from Mr. Balogun whenever she sees him.
“On the day of the incident, Mrs. Ehon saw his car and unaware that Balogun wasn’t inside raised false alarm that the Camry car was her own and that the occupants, who were armed robbers, had just snatched it from her.

One of the occupants of the car, Bisola Balogun, said she thank God that the officer who pursued them, didn’t misused his gun.
She said: "In fact, I’m still in shock. If it were to be another police officer, he might have shot straight at our car. Anything could have happened. We thank God and appreciate the officer for applying uncommon wisdom in handling the matter."
The Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Dolapo Badmos, said that the police officer showed experience and bravery in handling the issue.

She added: “If not for him, the entire event could have turned against the police. The woman has been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Panti, for prosecution.”