One-way drive: Police Inspector, LASTMA official die

Juliana Francis

Adeyemo

A Police Inspector, Olukunle Olonade, attached to the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), Ikeja, Lagos State Police Command has been killed after he shot a Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) official, Rotimi Adeyemo, to death at the Iyana-Ipaja area of the metropolis.

According to eye witnesses, Inspector Olonade was alleged to have shot Adeyemo to death in a fit of a blind rage, during an argument. This argument started when Adeyemi flagged him down for taking a one-way drive.

During the heated argument, passersby and other motorists were said to have gathered. When Olonade, who was in mufti shot Adeyemo, people in the crowd mobbed him, snatched his gun and shot him in his abdomen.

A police source said: “The incident happened at about 6pm. The Inspector lives at Command area and was heading home. He took one-way probably because of traffic jam. He was flagged down by Adeyemo. The Inspector was in mufti. He didn’t show his identity card and didn’t introduce him. He and the LASTMA official started arguing. By then other LASTMA officials gathered and joined their colleague. It was in the heat of arguing with, not just Adeyemo, but other LASTMA officials, that the Inspector opened his car and came out with his gun. He shot sporadically into the air attempting to scare the LASTMA officials, but ended up shooting Adeyemo. People that had gathered during his altercation with the LASTMA officials collected his gun from him and shot him in the abdomen.

“They didn’t know he was a policeman. Olonade was taken to Gowon Estate Police Station. In fact, it was at the police station he died. The Divisional Police Officer (DPO) in charge of Gowon Estate Police Station went to the scene of the crime himself to check search the Inspector’s car. It was during the search that the DPO found Olonade’s ID card and some case files. When he announced that Olonade was a policeman, the mob disappeared.”

Reacting to the case, the Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Chike Oti, said that the incident happened at about 6pm on Wednesday.

He explained that Olonade was driving a Toyota Highlander SUV, with registration number LSR 277 BJ, along Iyana-Ipaja road, when he was flagged for driving against traffic by a LASTMA official, Adeyemo, 46 years old at Iyana-Ipaja roundabout.

“The two men vehemently disagreed with each other. However, during the altercation, the said Inspector allegedly shot the LASTMA officer to death.  Irate mob, thinking the Inspector was an armed robber because he was in mufti, descended on him, and beat him to stupor. Although he was rescued by teams of policemen drafted to the scene, he later gave up the ghost while being rushed to hospital for treatment. 

“The serial number of the pistol recovered at the scene was checked in the system and it revealed the bearer as Inspector Olukunle Olonade attached to FSARS Ikeja.

Corpses of the deceased have been evacuated to the morgue for autopsy.”

Oti disclosed that the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Mr Edgal Imohimi, had directed that the late Inspector be tried posthumously in Orderly Room and be recommended for dismissal from the Force.  

Reacting to Adeyemo’s death on their twitter handle, LASTMA said: “ We are deeply saddened to confirm the death of one of our gallant officers, Adeyemo Rotimi, who was murdered in cold blood by suspected FSARS operative while discharging his lawful duties at his point in Iyana Ipaja on the 28th of November, 2018.”