How Angry Mob Lynched Police Officer Enforcing Ban on Motorbikes in Lagos

Matilda Omonaiye/

The police in Lagos have told how an officer was beaten to death by hoodlums while enforcing the ban on the use of motorcycles, otherwise known as Okada, in Ajao Estate area on September 23, 2021.

The officer identified as CSP Kazeem Sumonu Abonde, who was six months away from retirement, was part of a tactical team of the Lagos State Police Command with men drawn from RRS, Taskforce, Ajao Estate Division, and other divisions. They were carrying out a raid of identified flashpoints and enforcing the ban on motorcycles in restricted areas in the Estate and similar places in the state.

The Lagos State law bans motorcycles from operating on 475 roads.

But on some of the affected roads, there is no compliance with the traffic law, known as Transport Sector Reform Law (TSRL) 2018.

According to the state police spokesman, CSP Adekunle Ajisebutu, the September 23 exercise was a routine proactive approach aimed at curtailing activities of armed robbers and other criminal elements in the State. Similar exercises were carried out in the past in other parts of the state which have resulted in a reduction in crimes in the areas.

Ajisebutu stated: “After the successful operations which led to the arrest of some of the suspects, other criminal elements, and hoodlums in their large number laid siege to the exit of the Estate and attacked the policemen with guns, cutlasses, and other dangerous weapons.

“Unfortunately, during the fatal attack, CSP Kazeem Sumonu Abonde attached to the Operations Department of the Command was brutally killed by the hoodlums. The DPO Ajao Estate, CSP Abdullahi Malla, and other Police officers equally sustained varying degrees of injuries. The corpse of the deceased officer has been deposited at the Yaba Mainland Hospital for autopsy.

“The Commissioner of Police, CP Hakeem Odumosu while condemning the attack on the policemen who were carrying out legitimate duty at the time, has directed that a discreet investigation into the incident should be carried out immediately. The CP has equally vowed to ensure that all suspects responsible for the dastardly act would be brought to book soon.

“The Commissioner of Police has promised that this mournful incident would not dampen the morale of the Command or discourage it from carrying out its statutory duties of protecting lives and property of the Citizens in Lagos State.”

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