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| Orimisan Emmanuel the victim |
Policemen who trailed some suspected
robbers to their alleged hideout in Ilaje community, in the Ilaje-Ajah
area of Lagos State on
Monday caused confusion after stray bullets from
their guns killed a 33-year-old man, .Orimisan Emmanuel
Orimisan, an apprentice, was said to
have been hit by stray bullets from policemen, who were reportedly
attached to the Special Anti-Robbery Squad, Panti.
It was learnt that the policemen, before
heading for the community, had contacted the Ajah Police Division,
Ajiwe, to inform the division about their operation in the area.
Our correspondent learnt that at about
3pm, the policemen, who came in a van, stormed the community, and
started shooting sporadically.
It was gathered that Orimisan, who was
in one of the buildings in the community, came out and was hit by some
stray bullets. He reportedly died instantly.
The policemen, who were said to have fled the area, reportedly took the teenager’s corpse with them.
Our correspondent learnt that the
incident led to a protest in the area, as the people expressed their
anger at the actions of the policemen.
One of the residents, identified only as
Lukman, said, “At about 2.30pm, we saw SARS operatives. They were about
eight men. They came in here and began to shoot.
“That was when their bullets hit one of
our people. When they realised he was dead, they took his corpse and
left. The man was sleeping in his house. The whole town is boiling
presently. He is neither a robber nor a cultist. People were shocked
when they learnt that he had been killed by the policemen.”
Another resident, who spoke on condition
of anonymity said, “The policemen had come to make an arrest in the
area. They first registered the matter at the Ajah Police Division,
Ajiwe. The policemen got some information, and traced hoodlums to the
area. But the anger is why was this guy killed?”
Speaking with PUNCH Metro, the
deceased’s elder brother, Adeogo Emmanuel, said Orimisan had been awaken
from sleep by the sporadic gunshots, and as he came out to see what was
happening, the bullets hit him.
Adeogo added that they lost their father just last year, saying his brother was neither a robber nor a cultist.
He said, “He is my younger brother. He
is not married yet. Our father died last year, while our mother has
remarried and lives in Ondo State. They shot my brother and also took
away his corpse. He had been staying with me. He was not a violent man.
That is why the whole area is fighting this cause with us.
“He was sleeping when he heard the
gunshots and rose from his sleep. That was how he was hit. We have not
even found his corpse now.”
Our correspondent learnt that the
deceased’s family members and other community people had mobilised to
report the incident at the Area J Command, Ajah, on Monday evening.
The Lagos State Police Public Relations
Officer, DSP Kenneth Nwosu, confirmed that SARS operatives from the
State Department of Criminal Investigation came to the area, but added
that there was no death.
He said, “The information I have is that
SARS operatives from the SDCI went to the area, and arrested a robbery
suspect. We do not have any record of death or injury.”
Source: Punch Newspaper.
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