Extrajudicial killings: erring police officers must be brought to book – rights group

The Centre for Human Rights and Social Justice (CHRSJ) has demanded the prosecution of police officers found guilty of extrajudicial killings to serve as a deterrent to others.

The group made the demand in a petition to Nigeria Police Force (NPF), Police Service Commission (PSC), Nigeria Police Council (NPC), Minister for Interior and National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), signed by its Executive Chairman, Comrade Adeniyi Alimi Sulaiman.

According to Sulaiman, it was imperative that the police force got rid of bad eggs who hide under its cover to unleash terror on law abiding citizens.

He said the group will soon embark on protests to demand what he called “An Acceleration of Justice”.

He expressed displeasure with the “heinous crimes being perpetrated by men of the Nigeria Police Force, particularly, officers attached to the Magbon Federal SARS Office in Abeokuta, Idiroko and Owode Divisional Police Stations in Ogun State, Zone 2 Police Command Onikan, Lagos , Area “M” Police Area Command and Meiran Police Station with Idimu Divisional Police Stations in Lagos State under Area “M” Police Area Command.”

Comrade Sulaiman maintained that the demands were in conformity with the position of the rights group which according to him, stands for justice for all. He recalled that apart from the Late Kolade Johnson’s murder, many innocent Nigerians are being illegally arrested, subjected to torture, some of whom he said are later murdered in cold blood.

He particularly expressed outrage at the brutal murder in the hands of police, of 20-year-old girl in Ikorodu, noting that another police excesse occurred at Kilo in Surulere area, wherein he said a police officer shot a man to death for no reason.

“In Soloki Police Station, a motorcyclist simply identified as Moshood Ademola was Killed by a police officer because of N200, and recently another police man shot a bus driver dead at Mosan in Ayobo area of Lagos. There was another occurence at Adamo Bus Stop, along Imota Road in Ikorodu.

“A teenager was killed by Police officer and there hasn’t been any proper investigation up till today. Others were 17 year old boy, Aliu Oladeni who was clamped in detention and later killed, even as it was said that a sum of N160,000 was collected from him.

“Others are: Late Benson Obode, who died in Police custody on May 21st, 2015; Late Obode, a 26year old was arrested by four Policemen, including Oriyomi Musa, Adeleke Adedeji, Henry Shobowale and Abena John from the Special Anti-Robbery Squad(SARS) in Lagos State.”