…kill father of two, injure three
There was panic on Friday at Era
village, Oto Awori Local Council Development Area, Ijaniki, Lagos State, after
some policemen, attached to the popular Fuji Musician, Wasiu Alabi Pasuma,
suddenly opened fire on fans.
At least, one person, Alaba, was
shot dead, while three others were seriously injured and rushed to hospital.
The others have been identified as Tunde,
Johnson and Ahmed Olanipekun.
The shooting incident was said to
have occurred moments after Pasuma finished entertaining his fans and was about
to leave.
The trigger happy policemen are
members of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), Ipakodo, Ikorodu area of the
metropolis.
According to eye witnesses, the
deceased, a father of two, was not even at the show. He was hit by a stray
bullet just as he was walking past the scene where Pasuma had his show.
The deceased was buried on the day
he was supposed to move into his personal home, which he had just completed.
Incidentally, on the day he was
supposed to move into the three bedroom apartment with his wife and kids, was
the day he was buried at the grounds of the house.
A source said: “The four policemen left
their station at Ipakodo, Ikorodu area of Lagos and followed Pasuma to Ijaniki.
The idea was to provide security for him while he entertains his fans. The
policemen, however, were not supposed to be at the place. If there should be
any provision of policemen, it should have been from the nearest police
station. But these policemen left their duty at Ikorodu and came down to
Ijaniki.”
The policemen were alleged to have
shot the victims, while trying to control the crowd, which had gathered at the
village square to watch the musician.
It was further gathered that the
youths of the community invited Pasuma to entertain them at the ‘2017 Abule Oje
Day.’
A family member of Alaba, Sulaimon
Ajani, disclosed that the deceased was a furniture maker.
Ajani explained: “Alaba was returning
from mosque where he went to observe the Friday prayer when a stray bullet hit
him on the chest. In fact, he went to Ilogbo, a neighboring village to buy some
materials for furniture. On his way back, he decided to stop over at the nearby
mosque and observe his Friday prayers. As he left the mosque and was heading
towards his shop, a stray bullet from police gun hit him on his chest.”
Ajani, who said he was still in
shock over the sudden demise of Alaba, said that he even saw the deceased on
the fateful day he died and exchanged pleasantries with him.
Mrs Angela John, a member of
the community, described the death of Alaba as ‘painful.’
She said: “Alaba was supposed to
move to his newly built house at Oko-Afo village before the policemen cut down him
in his prime. Now, rather than move into his new house, he was buried there. He
left his wife, children and aged parents behind. The policemen should not be allowed to go Scot
free.”
After the bullet hit Alaba, he was
immediately rushed to a private hospital in the community. He was referred to
Igando General Hospital, but died on the way to the hospital.
John added: “What surprised us was
that after the incident, the policemen ran away. They left the victims on the
road, writhing in pain.”
John, who said that the incident was
very unfortunate, added that everyone in the community had been plunged into
mourning.
The three other victims, who
sustained injuries were said to have been treated and discharged from the
hospital.
One of them, Ahmed Olanipekun,
described his survival as sheer miracle and God sparing him.
Recollecting the shooting, Olanipekun said: “I
was in the midst of the crowd, watching the musician performing when the
policemen came over and ordered every one of us to move. We all tried to move
back; before I knew what was happening, I felt something hit my right leg.
“Blood started gushing out of my leg.
Everyone scampered for safety. Everywhere became rowdy. It was after the dust had
settled that we got information that Alaba had died of the gunshot.”
The two other victims Tunde and
Johnson were said to have relocated to their parents’ village for proper medical
treatment.
The Lagos State Police Public
Relations Officer (PPRO), Olarinde Famous-Cole, confirming the incident, said
the policemen had been arrested and detained. He added that they would soon go
on orderly room trial.
His words: “Three of the policemen,
who escaped from the scene, were recalled to the command, while one of them was
arrested at the scene.”
Pasuma’s spokesman, Mr. Semiu
Afolabi, when asked of the incident, promised to get back to our correspondent,
but was yet to do so as at press time.
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