Lagos Police confirms Arrest of Officers Who Killed Suspected Robbers

The Lagos State Police Command has said it has arrested four of its officers seen on video, killing two suspected robbers in their custody, NAN is reporting.

Lagos Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Bala Elkana, in a statement on Wednesday confirmed the arrest of the policemen.

In the video that went viral on social media, one of the police officers is seen telling the others to give way so he can “kill” them. He afterwards pulled the trigger killing the suspects who were already handcuffed and put inside the bus the officers used for the operation.

Elkana, in his statement, said:

Attention of Lagos State Police Command was drawn to a video on social media showing some Police officers shooting two unarmed suspects who were arrested and already in their custody against the code of professional conduct and laws guiding how suspects in Police custody should be treated.

The Policemen were identified as Insp. Fabiyi Omomayara, Sgt. Olaniyi Solomon, Sgt. Solomon Sunday and Cpl Aliyu Mukaila attached to Iba Division Patrol team.

The incident happened on Aug. 8 at 3.00pm, when Iba Police Station received a distress call from one Anugu Valentine that he was attacked by a group of armed men numbering about four on two motorcycles at Ipayi area, Iba and they dispossessed him of one iPhone max valued at N450, 000.

Acting on the information, the Divisional Police Officer of Iba promptly deployed the Divisional Patrol team to the scene.

Two of the armed robbers were arrested while two escaped. Two locally made pistols with six life cartridges and five expended cartridges were recovered,” he said.

It was a well celebrated operation by the team as the suspects were gallantly arrested.

The team however went to the extreme by killing the suspects who were already in their custody instead of taking them to the police station and allowing the normal process of investigation and prosecution to be initiated as stipulated under procedural laws.

That act of extra judicial killings falls short of police professional standards and cannot be condoned by the Command.

The Commissioner of Police Lagos State, CP Zubairu Muazu (mni) has ordered a thorough investigation into the incident.

The police officers are currently being subjected to internal disciplinary proceedings known as ‘Orderly Room’ trial and if found culpable, they will be dismissed from the Force and will be handed over to the State Criminal Investigation Department, Yaba, for prosecution in the Court.

Members of the Public will be updated on the outcome of the investigation and trial.

Source: Bellanaija