Headlines
Outrage as Lagos police officer shoots dead female lawyer on Christmas Day
A police officer whose identity is yet-to-be revealed has shot and killed dead Bolanle Raheem, a female lawyer at the Ajah area of the state.
The incident happened on Sunday, 25 December while the deceased was returning home from church service with her husband.
Some police officers attached to the Ajiwe police station in Ajah were said to have ordered the car conveying the lawyer and her family members to stop.
One of the officers allegedly shot at the car and the bullet was said to have hit the lawyer. The police officers were said to have fled the scene immediately after the shooting.
The deceased was reportedly rushed to a hospital where she was confirmed dead.
Confirming the incident, Benjamin Hundeyin, Lagos police command spokesperson, said the assistant superintendent of police (ASP) who shot at the deceased and two other officers are currently in custody.
“Unfortunate and avoidable incident that was. The ASP that shot and two others with him have since been taken into custody. They are to be moved to the SCID for further investigation,” Hundeyin said on Twitter.
The killing of the lawyer has since sparked outrage from Nigerians on Twitter, with many calling on the police to take action against officers of the Ajiwe police station, while some lawyers have started gathering for protest.
Condemning the killing, Inibehe Effiong, @InibeheEffiong, a lawyer based in Lagos, said, “A lawyer, Bolanle Raheem, is reported to have been shot and murdered at close range on Christmas Day by a rogue policeman attached to Ajiwe Police Division, Ajah. This is barbaric.
“It is a sad commentary that despite EndSARS, Nigerians are still being slaughtered by the police.”
Another user, NEFERTITI, @firstladyship, said, “A lawyer, Mrs Omobolanle Raheem, was killed on Christmas Day by men of the Nigerian Police, Ajah Division. She was murdered on her way from Church in Ajah, Lagos. Bolanle was shot pointblank beside her husband. There is no justice in Nigeria, how can you have peace? 💔”
Chidi Odinkalu, @ChidiOdinkalu, human rights lawyer, said, “‘Bolanle Raheem, a lawyer in Lagos, was reportedly shot & killed today by @PoliceNG personnel on her way from #ChristmasDay2022 worship in Ajah, Lagos.”
On December 6, a police inspector attached to the police station allegedly shot dead Gafaru Buraimoh, a resident of Happy Land estate in Ajah.
The incident resulted in protests which halted the flow of traffic in the area.
