Matilda Omonaiye/
Three policemen have been dismissed for allegedly shooting one person to death and injuring another during a protest by some youths in Lagos.
The three were dismissed by the Lagos State police command following an orderly room trial that found them guilty of reckless application of firearms.
They are expected to be charged to court next week.
The dismissed policemen, Sergeant Osaseri Saturday, Sergeant Segun Okun and Corporal Adekunle Oluwarotimi, were attached to the Amukoko Division of the command.
They allegedly committed the offence in Amukoko area, on Thursday, about 9.30pm.
Public Relations Officer of the command, SP Chike confirmed the development in a statement today.
The statement reads: “The general public is hereby informed that three policemen attached to Amukoko Division by names and service numbers, 25759 Sgt. Osaseri Saturday; 35 9075 Sgt. Segun Okun and 496833 Cpl. Adekunle Oluwarotimi, have been tried and dismissed from the Nigeria Police for breeching the rules of engagement to wit reckless application of firearms.
“The aforementioned Non Commissioned Officers (NCOs) committed the offence on the 11/01/2018, at about 2130 hours, at Ifelodun street, Amukoko, Lagos state, when they disproportionately responded with bullets fired from their weapons at some youths alleged to have hurled some non-ballistic missiles at them, such as stones, sticks and bottles leading to the death of one of the youths and injury on another.
“They were arrested, detained and tried immediately on the orders of the Commissioner of Police, Lagos state, CP Edgal Imohimi. The guilty verdict was passed on them by the Adjudicating Officer, who considered that the officers did not appreciate the situation critically and ought not to have applied the maximum force on the unruly youths. The officers will be charged to court next week, while a duplicate copy of the Case File would be sent to the Directorate of Public Prosecution (DPP) for legal advice.”
The statement added that the Commissioner of Police has directed all Area Commanders and Divisional Police Officers in the state to warn their men against misapplication of force and also urged them to abide by the Rules of Engagement (ROE) as stipulated in Force Order 237.
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The rotten eggs must be flushed out of the nation’s forces and equally prosecuted where necessary, I believe this would curb to an extent, the shameful acts of these bunch of illiterates in uniforms.