Matilda Omonaiye/
Four policemen who killed two suspected phone thieves in broad daylight at the Igando area of Lagos would be tried for murder.
Police spokesman, Bala Elkana, disclosed this in a statement today.
The policemen were arrested after a viral video surfaced on the social media yesterday, showing the officers killing the suspects in cold blood, after they were arrested for allegedly robbing people who sold phones on Jiji, an online sales platform.
See video:
Elkana identified the policemen as Inspector Fabiyi Omomayara, Sergeant Olaniyi Solomon, Sergeant Solomon Sunday and Corporal Aliyu Mukaila; attached to the Iba Police Division.
He affirmed that the action of the cops violated the code of conduct of the Police.
The statement reads: “The attention of the 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 Inspector Fabiyi Omomayara, Sergeant Olaniyi Solomon, Sergeant Solomon Sunday and Corporal Aliyu Mukaila, attached to Iba division patrol team.
“The incident happened on August 19, 2019 at about 3pm when Iba Police Station received a distress call from one Anugu Valentine of Agege Motor Road, Mushin, 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 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. The gang is said to be notorious for a series of robbery in Iba and environs.
“It was a well celebrated operation by the team as the suspects were gallantly arrested. The team however, went 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.”
Elkana added that the police officers were being subjected to internal disciplinary proceedings, noting that if found culpable, they would be dismissed from the Force and handed over to the State Criminal Investigations and Intelligence Department, Yaba, for prosecution.
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