Sanwo-Olu meets IGP in Abuja, vows to get justice for slain lawyer

The Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanw-Olu has held a meeting with the Inspector-General of Police, Usman Baba, over recent incidents of extrajudicial killings by trigger-happy police officers in the state.

Recall that a police officer identified as Drambi Vandi, attached to the Ajiwe Police Station in Ajah shot and killed a seven months pregnant lawyer, Bolanle Raheem, on Christmas day.

The incident triggered a national outrage as Nigerians including the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) and some civil society organisations called for speedy prosecution of the killer cop.

Raheem's murder was the second in a string of extrajudicial killings by officers attached to the Ajiwe Police Station in Ajah.

On December 7, 2022, an officer from the station without any altercation shot and killed a young man identified as Ganiu.

Meanwhile, Sanwo-Olu during the meeting, which took place at the Louis Edet House, Force Headquarters, Abuja, on Thursday, December 29, 2022, called on the IGP to ensure appropriate prosecution of the culpable officers.

In a statement obtained by Pulse correspondence, the Force spokesperson, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, disclosed that Sanwo-Olu and the IGP discussed amongst other things, possible means to achieve speedy justice for the victims of the recent shooting incidents in Lagos State.

Adejobi quoted the IGP to have expressed his heartfelt condolences to the families and loved ones of the deceased with reassurance that the cases would be meticulously pursued until deserved justice is served.

He also stressed that the Force and the Attorney-General of Lagos State are working together to ensure that erring officers are diligently prosecuted in courts of competent jurisdiction to serve as deterrence to others.

Adejobi's words: “In his response, the governor promised to support the police in making sure that justice is served in the extant case and to collaborate with the police on advocacy programmes to educate the citizenry on understanding and respecting the laws of the land for an improved relationship with the Police.

“He similarly stressed that his administration will partner with the police to carry out refresher courses, training, retraining, and other evaluation processes for police officers in all facets of policing duties.

“Governor Sanwo-Olu equally emphasized the need to provide some equipment like body cameras, non-lethal weapons, etc., to curb excessive use of powers and boost good police-citizen relationships.

“The IGP, therefore, charged all officers to imbibe absolute respect for rule of law and the fundamental rights of all persons, which is the crux and fulcrum of policing services even as he urged members of the public to cooperate with police officers for seamless collaborative efforts to stamp out crimes and criminality in the Nigerian society.”