Victor Ezeja
Lagos State Police Command has announced arrest of officer who shot to death a female lawyer, Mrs. Bolanle Raheem, in Ajah area of Lagos on Christmas Day.
Raheem was fatally shot by an Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) attached to Ajah Police Station, Lagos.
Join our WhatsApp ChannelPrime Business Africa gathered that the incident threw the community into confusion as the officer, who was with a team of policemen, fled the scene..
It was learnt that Mrs. Raheem, her sister, and four children were coming from an eatery in their car around 11am when the officer tried to stop them.
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The lawyer was said to have tried making a U-turn under the Ajah Bridge when the policer officer shot at her vehicle and the bullet unfortunately hit her.
She was later confirmed dead in a hospital.
The state Police Public Relations Officer, Benjamin Hundeyin, who confirmed the incident in a statement, said the officer involved had been arrested and taken into custody.
Although he described the rank of the officer involved in the alleged killing, Hundeyin, however, did not mention his name.
“The officer involved in the shooting is an ASP; he has been arrested, detained, and will be transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department, Panti, for further investigations,” Hundeyin, a superintendent of police wrote in a statement.
The Lagos State PPRO noted that the “condemnable incident is against the standard operating procedures (SOP) and rules of engagement of the Force, and to say the least is embarrassing.”
The police also expressed condolence to the family and friends of the deceased.
“The Commissioner of Police, Lagos State Command, CP Abiodun Alabi, Fdc has expressed heartfelt condolences to the family, friends and colleagues of Barrister Bolanle Raheem who was shot dead by a police officer in Ajah on Sunday, December 25, 2022,” Hundeyin added.
Meanwhile, the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Usman Alkali Baba, has condemned the shooting and killing of Mrs Raheem, ordering speedy prosecution of the officers involved in the act.
This was contained in a statement posted on the official Twitter handle of the Nigeria Police Force on Monday, December 26, 2022, signed by the Force Public Relations Officer, Force Headquarters, Abuja, CSP Olumuyiwa Adejobi.
The IGP who described the incident as unfortunate and sad, said it is “unprofessional” and “doesn’t portray the Nigeria Police Standard Operating Procedure and core values.”
“In the same vein, the IGP commiserates with the family, friends, and colleagues of the deceased as he prays for the repose of her soul.
“He further assures the general public of justice in the case while he warns officers and men of the Force to be professional and people-oriented in the discharge of their duties and operate within the ambit of the law, as the Force’s leadership will not condone any inappropriate or unprofessional acts,” Adejobi added.
Victor Ezeja is a passionate journalist with seven years of experience writing on economy, politics and energy. He holds a Master's degree in Mass Communication.
