Lagos Police Commissioner’s Visit, Promise To Family Of killed Football Fan

Lagos State Commissioner of Police, CP Zubairu Muazu, yesterday, paid a condolence visit to family of late Kolade Johnson, who had life snuffed out of him Sunday night, by bullets from a team of policemen attached to the Anti-Cultism Unit of the command at Onipetesi, Agege area of the state.

He was accompanied by the Deputy Commissioners of Police, Administration, Operation and the State Criminal Investigation Department, DCP Ayuba Elkanah, DCP Mohammed Ali and DCP Yetunde Longe.

Condemning the action of the policemen, Muazu said two policemen were fingered at the end of interrogation of members of the Police team that visited scene of the incident.

He gave their identities as Inspector Ogunyemi Olalekan and Sergeant Godwin Orji, attached to Anti-Cultism Squad, adding that they were undergoing internal disciplinary procedures.

He prayed for the repose of the soul of late Kolade Johnson and also prayed that the Almighty God would grant his bereaved family, friends and well wishers the fortitude to bear the irreparable loss.

Responding , Head of Kolade Johnson’s family, Alhaji Remi Lukman, described the Commissioner’s assurance of justice as relieving.

Describing the visit as a bold step, he said, “I thought it is going to be a one man’s fight, but seeing the Police high Command joining our family in this fight has shown that justice will not only be done to Kolade, but to the entire Nigerian youths. I am glad that we have a new Police force which believes in justice.”

He called on friends of the deceased to remain calm and allow the law take its cause, noting that “my late son was a peace-loving person and a level-headed individual.”

The bereaved mother, a widow, was sighted being consoled by sympathisers. Late Kolade, who was an only child, was said to have recently celebrated the arrival of his baby.

One of his friends who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said: “He had boasted to give the baby a fatherly care and attention, being an only child himself. He said he would try to provide for him, within his financial capacity.

“But he did not live to be identified by the baby, let alone living up to his promises. We will indeed miss him because he was a very jolly fellow.”

Following the incident, CP Muazu summoned a meeting with heads of special units under the command: Special Anti-Robbery Squad, SARS; the Intelligence Response Team, IRT, and Anti- Cultism Unit among others.

NOPRIN kicks

Meanwhile, the Network on Police Reform in Nigeria, NOPRIN, which frowned at the killing, called on Police authorities to end the excesses of the Anti-Cultism Squad, by bringing perpetrators to account for their action.

He said: “NOPRIN condemns as reckless, unprovoked and unjustifiable, the killing of Kolade Johnson, by police operatives from the Anti-Cultism Unit of the Lagos State Command.

“NOPRIN commends the Lagos State Police Command for promptly arresting the culprits in this particular case and respectfully urges the Command to demonstrate that it would no longer tolerate flagrant abuses, misconduct and embarrassing activities by police officers attached to this notorious, or any other, unit.

“The investigation into this killing should be transparent and those found to be responsible must be charged to court after they have been subjected to internal disciplinary procedures.

“The killing of Kolade Johnson is the height of the atrocities committed daily by personnel of that unit and the seeming atmosphere of impunity that emboldens them to continue to engage in criminal activities and flagrant violation of the rights of citizens, particularly young people in Lagos.”