The leadership of the Nigerian Police Force have taken a pro-active position in the alleged shooting of a young man by some of its officers in Lagos area.
Assistant Commissioner of Police, Abayomi Shogunle has reacted to the viral video of a man reportedly shot by SARS operatives because he was wrongly labeled a fraudster in Chinese town, Ojota, Lagos.
According to the ACP, ‘man on ground in a viral video “SARS operatives shoot man wrongly labeled a fraudster in Chinese town, Ojota, Lagos.” is not dead, he is alive and was never shot at. He is asthmatic, had an asthma attack during contact with a police patrol team (not SARS) & was revived. He is now in stable condition.
Also touching on the matter, The Instagram account of the Police re-assured the citizens that 2 officers involved have been identified (attached to Area Commander Ogudu & not SARS Operative). It also said that investigation ongoing to determine if any form of excessive force triggered the asthma attack.
Read the staement below:
PRESS RELEASE:
POLICE MEN INVOLVED IN THE OJOTA CHINESE TOWN SAGA ARRESTED AND DETAINED … The attention of the Commissioner of Police, Lagos State Command, CP IMOHIMI EDGAL, was drawn to an online news credited to OAKTVOnline on Instagram with the caption ” A yet-to-be-identified man has allegedly been shot by operatives of the Special Anti Robbery Squad (SARS ) at Chinese town, Ojota area of. ……” Based on this report, the CP Lagos, immediately activated the Command X-Squad section in collaboration with the Divisional Police Officer, Ogudu Division, CSP Gbenga Olorunfemi, to fish out the policemen involved in matter.
Their findings revealed that the victim by name, Ademuwagun Temitope Solomon was not shot by operatives of the Special Anti Robbery Squad (SARS) as reported by the online media but suffered from the inhalation of tear-gas spray a.k.a pepper spray occasioned by a neighbourhood police patrol team attached to Area-H- Command, Ogudu, Lagos. The infamous patrol team was led by Inspr Momoh Sulaiman assisted by Sgt. Monday Emmanuel. The victim had been revived.
However, the investigating team had arrested and detained the police men involved on the orders of the Command Commissioner of Police, CP Imohimi Edgal. Their trial will commence today 09/06/2018 and if found guilty of offence of incivility to a member of the public and unlawful exercise of authority, they could face punishment as severe as dismissal.
SP Chike Oti
Police Public Relations Officer
Lagos State Police Command.