The Executive Secretary of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), Chief Tony Ojukwu has condemned yet another killing of a female lawyer Barrister Bolanle Raheem by a policeman in Ajah, Lagos State.
Ojukwu, who was reacting to the unfortunate death of the lawyer said in a statement by the Deputy Director, Corporate Affairs and External Linkages of the Commission, Fatimah Agwai Mohammed that, the incident is regrettable, adding that the officer has fallen short of standard operating procedure and professional ethics of the Nigerian Police Force.
He called in the hierarchy of the Nigerian Police to, as a matter of necessity always ensure that officers who bear arms must, by all means, be mentally balanced and respect the rules of engagement of the police force saying enough is enough of these avoidable deaths.
He recalled that the Commission went around the country to train police officers on human rights best practices and how to mainstream human rights in law enforcement operations, “yet we are still recording sad incidents of extra-judicial killings perpetrated by the police officers.”
While commending the High police command for immediately taking necessary action to arrest and put the errant officer in custody, Ojukwu said the Commission will continue to monitor the process of investigation and prosecution of the errant officer to ensure that justice is adequately served.
He said it is unfortunate to know that the Commission has recorded several incidents of extrajudicial killings by the police and vowed to do all that is within its powers to ensure that these cases are not swept under the carpet.
Meanwhile, the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has demanded that the Nigerian Police officially disclose and immediately release to Nigerians the fuller details of the errant officer and other officers responsible for the cold-blooded murder of our member, Mrs Omobolanle Raheem by an officer of the Nigerian Police Force attached to Ajiwe Police Station in Ajah, Lagos State.
The NBA President, Mr Yakubu Maikyau said in a statement through the National Publicity Secretary of the association, Akorede Habeeb Lawal that he has informed the police of the resolve of the NBA to be a complainant in the case along with the family of the late Omobolanle Raheem.
The statement said, “The NBA President has in this regard constituted a team comprising of National Officers, Chairman and Vice Chairperson of NBA Lagos Branch and Chairman of NBA Ikeja Branch with a mandate to follow up and ensure a speedy but thorough investigation of this crime.
“The NBA team was at Ajiwe Police Station and had a scheduled meeting with the Commissioner of Police, Lagos State at the Lagos State Police Command. In the course of the NBA’s engagement with police authorities over this deadly incident, the NBA confirmed that on or about 7th December 2022 another young man described as Gafaru Buraimoh who was innocently on his way to buy fuel was murdered in Ajah in a similar manner as our member by a police officer attached to the now notorious Ajiwe Police Station.
“The NBA is disturbed that the Nigerian Police seems to be back to the dark days of police brutality and admonishes that the lessons from the #EndSARS Protest should not be lost on any individual or authority.
“Members of the NBA and Nigerians are assured that the NBA is committed to justice in this matter. The NBA will not only get to the root of this incident, we will uproot it and take steps to deal with anyone found culpable in every lawful way. We will ensure that this does not happen to any citizen anymore,” the statement added.
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