‘How do I tell his fiancée that police have killed him?’

Taiwo Jimoh

Residents of Ajisegiri Street, Ilupeju area of Lagos State will never forget July 15, in a hurry.

That was the day anti-cultism policemen, from Mushin, stormed the community and opened fire like they were in a Wild West Hollywood Movie.

According to residents, the policemen didn’t care that several people were milling about; they opened fire, in an attempt to allegedly stop some cultists from escaping.

It was only inevitable that someone would get hurt; Mr. Francis Ene, a hunchback, whose job was sweeping of people’s compound for payment was hit.

The bullet burst his head and his brains splashed on the ground. He died before he hit the grounds.

Two children, who were heading to school, who witnessed the shooting and death of Francis, broke down in tears, weeping in fear and shock.

Residents claimed that a police inspector, Skoda, attached to the Anti-Cultism Unit, Ladipo, Mushin, Lagos State, known to them, was the person that shot and killed Francis. The deceased was killed moment after leaving a compound, which he had just finished sweeping.

Skoda and other policemen were alleged to be chasing after some fleeing cultists, when Skoda opened fire. The incident, which occurred at about 8a.m caused anger and panic as news of the shooting and subsequent killing of Francis travelled like a wildfire.

An eyewitness, John Adebayo, said that he and other people were outside, when they saw policemen chasing some boys in the community.

Adebayo said: “It was not up to 20 minutes later, that a motorcycle rider came to inform us that someone had been shot dead at Ajisegiri Street. When we got there, it was Francis we saw on the ground. His head has been shattered by the stray bullet that hit him. There was blood was everywhere, while his working tools, broom and bucket, were beside his dead body. Francis was an easy going person. He didn’t allow his predicament to stop him from working. He was living with her sister at No. 11 Shobayo Street. It was unfortunate that we lost him in such a manner.”

Fresh facts gathered by our correspondent, revealed that Francis, had finally found love and was already planning to walk down the aisle with his heartthrob when death came knocking.

Residents, who spoke about the incident with our correspondent, described the day as tensed and bloody.

A few minutes after the killing of Francis, the policemen, scared of mob action, radio for re-enforcement.

Soon, the community was crawling with belligerent policemen. Some of the policemen that came were from taskforce office, Oshodi. They came with two Black Maria trucks. Youths in the community were raided and bundled into these vans. There was panic and confusion, compelling many to scamper for safety, taking refuge in their homes.

But the policemen, allegedly stormed people’s home, arresting and taking them into the Black Maria vans. Francis was planning to tie the nuptial knots in December. He had rented an apartment, which he got because of his forthcoming wedding.

The deceased sister, Esther Ene, said it was unfortunate that her brother was killed just when he was preparing for his wedding, scheduled to take place in their village in Cross River State.

Esther said she was not at home when the incident happened.  She recounted: “Francis lived with me, but left home before me on that day. He left early so as to attend to the houses under his care. In a day, he used to sweep 20 houses. I was in my work place when I received a phone call that my brother has been shot dead. When I got him home, I met a lot of crowd at our house. I didn’t know that when my brother was leaving home that morning, that he was bidding me farewell. I learnt the policemen were chasing cultists in the community. I was shocked when I heard that the policemen were shooting in a community like Ajisegiri, where mechanic workshop and traders are. There is a school there and school children are always about.”

Esther said: “He was living with me before he rented his apartment, where he intended to move to with his bride. Now, they have cut his life short.  Presently, I don’t know how we are going to break the news of his death to his fiancée who is at the village, waiting for him. It was because Francis has a hunchback that he couldn’t secure a better job. He took sweeping as a job in order to survive. Everyone is going to miss him. He was a friendly and hard working person.

“I was shocked when I read in the dailies that police said my brother was hit by a stray bullet from the miscreants that policemen went to arrest in the community. It was a blatant lie; it was the police that shot and killed my brother. The policeman that killed my brother will not know peace. My brother’s blood will not allow him to have rest. Francis was killed in his prime. I also don’t know what to tell our aged parents back in the village.”

It was gathered that Francis’s nine-year- old nephew when he returned from school and heard that his uncle had been shot dead, fainted. The little boy was later revived by residents of the area, who poured water on him.

The Christ Apostolic Church (CAC), Victory Land, Ilupeju, where Francis worshipped, had earlier planned to stage a protest to the Lagos State Police Command, Ikeja, to register it grievances over the killing of Francis.

Although the protest was shelved, but a petition was later sent to the Inspector-General of Police (IG), Muhammed Adamu and the state Commissioner of Police, Zubairu Muazu.

A father, Adelaja, whose son was arrested during raid of the community, said he spent a night at Bolade, Oshodi office of the taskforce official, while trying to get his son out of police detention.

He said: “I was not at home when the incident occurred. But a neighbour called me that my son and some other people in the community had been arrested. The caller said that they had been taken to Oshodi. I dashed out, hoping to secure his bail. Unfortunately, when I got to the taskforce office, I met some parents, whose children were also in detention. The police promised to release them, but I ended up spending a night in the taskforce office.”

Another parent, who does not want his name in print said that he was preparing to go out on the fateful day when he suddenly saw people running into their houses. He saw policemen coming behind him and also ran into his apartment.

He said: “I locked my door from behind, waiting for the worst to happen. I heard footsteps of the policemen walking towards the backdoor. Before I knew what was happening, the police had broken down the door. They went straight to the toilet, where some youths were hiding and dragged them out.

“The youths screamed, telling the policemen that they didn’t know anything about the incident. Their pleas fell on deaf ears. There was nothing I could do from where I was hiding. The policemen dragged them into their waiting Black Maria. In the process, majority of them sustained injuries. After the police had left, I came out from my hiding place. I noticed the damage they did to the toilet door while dragging out the boys. It was like a warfront.”

New Telegraph also gathered that about 20 of the youths, who were arrested on Monday by the taskforce officials, were later release. Youths, who had tattoo, on their bodies and those sporting dreadlocks were detained by police.

An auto mechanic, Mr. Tajudeen Adewale, said he was going to his workshop at Ajisegiri Street, when he saw the policemen.

He said: “A few minutes after I had walked past them, one of the policemen walked towards me, and grabbed my trouser from behind. I tried to explain to them that I was an auto mechanic, going to my workshop. I had not said more than that when they slapped and dragged me into their Black Maria. We were all taken to taskforce office at Oshodi and detained from 11am till 11:30pm.

“After finishing with their check, some of us were taken back to Ilupeju, while others remained in custody. Those that remained in custody had dreadlocks and tattoos on their bodies.”

Another victim, who gave his name as Abbey, explained that he was going on errand when he was arrested at Adeshiyan Street.

He said: “My master sent me to go and buy food him. I was on my way, when the policemen accosted me. They threatened to shoot me if I dared to move. I wanted to run, but couldn’t after I was threatened.  Two men came and dragged me into the Black Maria. The next thing was that I found myself at Oshodi in taskforce office. I spent 12 hours in police custody and we unjustly detained.”

Mrs. Khadijat Ibrahim, a food vendor at No 13 Ajisegiri Street said that she was outside her house, attending to customers, when people started running into their houses.

She said: “I also left my food outside and ran for my life. The policemen entered people’s apartments and started arresting everyone. People ran into toilet and under tables to hide, but the policemen found and dragged them out. They beat them up and then bundled them into their parked Black Maria vans.

“Right from where I was hiding, I was scared. I feared that I might be killed. The policemen looked fierce and hungry to kill. I believe what the police wanted to do was to arrest residents and claim it was the residents that first attacked them. God will judge between us and the police harassing us. The person the policemen killed was an easy going person that couldn’t hunt a fly.  I don’t know why policemen would be shooting sporadically where people gathered. What kind of people are we? We’re battling with herdsmen in Nigeria, while here in Lagos; we are confronted by SARS’ brutality and killings. Government should come to our aid,” said Ibrahim.

When our correspondent visited No. 11 Ajisegiri Street, it was gathered that a sick person, receiving drip, was raided and taken away by the policemen.

A tenant in one of the apartments at Ajisegiri Street, who introduced himself as Adio, said that the arrest of the sick boy, while he was on drip, was shocking. The father of the sick boy was not around when his son was whisked away.

Adio said: “It was from where I was hiding, that I saw policemen taking the boy away. I immediately called his father, so that he could come home. When the boy’s father finally arrived, he went straight to the taskforce office at Bolade, Oshodi for possible bail of his son. It was because of the drip, the patient was taking that he couldn’t run when other tenants were running from being arrested by the policemen. A lot of innocent residents were arrested.”

A lady, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said: “This is not the first time policemen would be coming into the community to wreak havoc. Last month, the same set of policemen came into the community and arrested a boy who was grinding paper.”

She further added: “Immediately the boy’s mother, who was inside noticed that her son had been arrested, she rushed out to beg the policemen. Unfortunately, one of the policemen pushed the elderly woman, and she hit her head on the ground; she died instantly. When the policemen noticed that the women had died, they took to their heels. They escaped from the scene with the boy.

“It was the landlord association of the area that later went to the anti-cultism unit office at Ladipo to secure the boy’s release. The policemen that came into our community that shot and killed Francis came in a tinted Toyota Corolla car, with registration number YAB725AP. We copied the car number in case the policemen want to deny that they came into this community.”

A resident of the area, Mr. Henry Okoro, said that after the incident, he and other residents went to Ilupeju Police Station to make a formal complaint to the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) of the Station.

 Okoro said: “To our surprise, the DPO told us that the stray bullet that killed Francis was fired from Mushin area.  I want to urge the public to ask police how bullets from Mushin can kill someone at Ilupeju. It was a lie! The policeman that kills Francis targeted him. We’re going to make sure that we get justice for the deceased. While we were still mourning Francis, two Black Maria drove into our community. Policemen started raiding everyone, even entering people’s house. They bundled people into the Black Maria.”

The Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Bala Elkana, while confirming the incident, explained that the policemen, who went to the Ajisegiri, were on their way to recover arms from a notorious gang when they were ambushed.

 He said: “Our policemen, while being led by a notorious gang leader, Ikechukwu Monye, to where their arms are kept, were ambushed by members of the gang along Ajisegiri Street, Ilupeju. The assailants shot sporadically, in the process killed a middle-aged man, who was passing by. The policemen were led by Inspector Mohammed Akeem. Following the ambush, police reinforcement was quickly drafted to the scene. The whole area was cordoned with a view of apprehending members of the gang and brings them to justice.”

 The image maker further said: “Ilupeju has experienced violent attacks between members of Aiye and Eiye confraternities, who equally engaged in heinous crimes such as armed robbery, rape, and murder. The gang in question is responsible for a series of robberies within Ilupeju and its environs. They have been on Police Wanted List for the murder of six persons during three robbery operations, which they carried out.”