FSARS officer kills young man, mob burns down police station

An officer of the Federal Special Anti-Robbery Squad (FSARS) killed a young undergraduate in Iwo, Osun State on Thursday, August 23, 2018.

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An eyewitness told Pulse that the victim, identified as Babatunde Nafiu, was killed on his way back from a Sallah party while he was waiting for a commercial motorcycle to take him home. The FSARS officer that allegedly killed the victim is identified as Lukman Gbadamosi.

According to a report by Premium Times, Nafiu, a student of the Federal Polytechnic, Iree in Osun State, was hit while he was trying to board a commercial motorcycle to Ile-Ogbo, a neighbouring community, around 9:30 pm.

A witness reported that he was hit by a stray bullet which the SARS officer had allegedly shot in the air.

"At that time, the SARS guys were trying to parade and they were obstructed as a result of the on-going carnival. Afterwards, the officers were able to pass but they saw people gyrating. That prompted the shooting from the security operatives," the witness said.

Nafiu's death triggered a mob, made up of mostly youths, to protest the killing before proceeding to burn down a police station in Iwo in retaliation.

An eyewitness told Pulse that officers were forced to flee the scene as the protesters also burnt car tyres at the scene of the protest.

Officer in detention over killing

The Public Complaint Rapid Response Unit of the Nigeria Police Force has disclosed that the officer involved in the killing has been detained pending investigations.

The unit posted on its Twitter account, "Policeman involved in the shooting that led to the unfortunate death of a man at Ajangbala Eleha, Iwo yesterday has been arrested. He is in custody & investigation ongoing. CP Osun State is meeting with relatives & community."

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The killing comes just two weeks after SARS was "overhauled" by the federal government after months of outcry by the public on the atrocities of the notorious unit.