Juliana Francis
IGP, Baba
The Lagos State Police Command today said it has arrested some commercial motorcycle riders, who killed a Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP), identified as Kazeem Abonde, at the Ajao Estate area of the metropolis.
According to police sources, Abonde, a lawyer, was killed nine months to his retirement, just as he had started planning his pulling out ceremony.
The CSP, attached to Bops in the police command, Ikeja, was among those drafted to police task force to ensure that commercial motorcycle kept to restricted routes at the Ajao Estate area of the state on Thursday.
He was further said to have gone with a team of policemen for the enforcement, however the motorcycle riders turned violent. The police team sensing danger as the motorcycle riders numbers increased, scattered, with policemen fleeing in different directions.
While others escaped, mother luck seemed not to be too happy with Abonde. The motley motorcycle riders, pounced and killed him.
A police source said: “They collected his service pistol, shot him and they used machetes to attack him. Till now, we’ve not recovered the pistol. He was just a constable when he started his law programme. He had already began planning how to set up his chamber, and had picked a name as part of his retirement plan when he was killed. Soon, people will lie that the policemen went to extort motorcycle riders.”
The Lagos State Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Adekunle Ajisebutu, describing Abonde as one of the command’s finest officer, said he was killed during a raid on criminal hideouts in Ajao Estate.
He said: “The incident happened when tactical teams of the Command comprising men drawn from RRS, Taskforce, Ajao Estate Division and other divisions were carrying out raid of identified flashpoints and enforcing the ban on use of motorcycles in restricted areas in the Estate and similar places in the State. The exercise was a routine proactive approach aimed at curtailing activities of armed robbers and other criminal elements in the State. Similar exercises were carried out in the past in other parts of the state which have resulted in reduction in crimes in the areas. After the successful operations which led to the arrest of some of the suspects, other criminal elements and hoodlums in their large number laid siege to the exit of the Estate and attacked the policemen with guns, cutlasses and other dangerous weapons.
“Unfortunately, during the fatal attack, CSP Kazeem Sumonu Abonde attached to the Operations Department of the Command was brutally killed by the hoodlums. The DPO Ajao Estate, CSP Abdullahi Malla and other Police officers equally sustained varying degrees of injuries. The corpse of the deceased officer has been deposited at the Yaba Mainland Hospital for autopsy.”
The image maker further noted that the state’s commissioner of police, Hakeem Odumosu, while condemning the attack on the policemen who were carrying out legitimate duty at the time, has directed that a discreet investigation into the incident should be carried out immediately. This was even as Odumosu was said to have vowed to ensure that all suspects responsible for the dastardly act will be brought to book.
The Commissioner of Police said that this dastardly incident will not dampen the morale of the Command or discouraged it from carrying out its statutory duties of protecting lives and property in the state.
The Executive Chairman of Isolo LCDA, Otunba Adebayo Olasoju, in a short message to residents of Ajao Estate on Thursday, appealed for calm.
The Chief Security Officer of the Council Area, Otunba Olasoju, accompanied by the Area D Police Commander and top officials of his administration visited the scene of the violent clash ordering a comprehensive investigation into the matter.
The Chief Press Secretary to the Executive Chairman, Rasheed Iskilo Alao said: “It is expedient to make it clear to all concerned that violence, in whatever form, cannot solve any misunderstanding, and therefore should be eschewed. Ajao Estate being a major entry point to foreigners coming into our dear nation deserves the serenity obtainable in city of equal status in advanced countries. While investigation into both the remote and immediate causes of the violence is being carried out, the law abiding citizens of Ajao Estate are hereby urged to go about their lawful businesses as there is enough security presence to forestall a resurgence.”
The rampaging motorcycle riders destroyed the operational vehicle of the policemen. The police team embarked on operation along Asa Afariogun Road in Ajao Estate to impound motorcycles for flouting the State Traffic Law when they were attacked.
The motorcycle riders outnumbered the policemen and had quickly disarmed Abonde, then used his pistol to shoot him. The motorcycle riders were further alleged to have stormed the police station where they allegedly opened fire, with flying bullets hitting some policemen on duty.
There are 9000 mapped roads in Lagos State and only 495 are prohibited for commercial motorcycle riders.
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