Following the disbandment of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), lawyers have charged the Inspector General of Police (IGP) to ensure officers fingered in the killing of innocent people are brought to book.
A lawyer to the family of Isiaq Jimoh, who was allegedly killed by policemen in Ogbomoso, Oyo State, during the #EndSARS protest, has given a seven-day ultimatum for investigation, and threatened to institute a legal action against the police.
Hussein Afolabi, in a letter dated October 12, 2020, has asked IGP Mohammed Adamu to investigate the murder of Jimoh. Afolabi said the deceased was not part of the protest, but was hit by a bullet when the officers fired bullets to disperse unarmed protesters.
The lawyer stated that eyewitnesses were willing to give statements provided their security would be guaranteed, that the DPO was the first officer that fired his sidearm into the crowd of unarmed protesters.
A Lagos-based lawyer, Chief Babajide Tanimoowo, recalled how his client was embarrassed while being arrested in Ibadan in July, by some SARS officers. He said the police operatives wrongfully tagged his client a kidnapper even though the young man was accused of involvement in a fraud case in the organisation where he was working. The police officers also recorded the incident and released the video on social media.
The incident, it was learnt, involved a certain young man, Ojo Olumide Stephen and a lady called Towobola. The man, who was involved in a fraud case, was arrested in Ibadan alongside the lady on July 19.
In the video that went viral on social media, drawing wide condemnations, one of the police officers who identified himself as Wyclef, allegedly threw professionalism to the wind when he openly taunted and intimidated both Ojo and the young lady, calling them kidnappers even when the fraud case against the young man was already being resolved.
The lady said she was just meeting the man and denied any amorous relationship with the suspect. But the said Wyclef, described as a police informant, accused the lady of sleeping with the man for money, intimidating her and threatening to slap her.
Many Nigerians condemned the action of the police officers, which prompted the IGP to order an immediate investigation into the matter. The said
Wyclef was thereafter arrested and arraigned at the Yaba Magistrates’ Court in Lagos.
Tanimoowo commended the IGP for coming to the aid of his client, but regretted that the video did substantial damage to his client and his female acquaintance.
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