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One police sergeant, Lukmon Akanbi, has been dismissed from the Nigeria Police Force for killing a civilian, Babatunde Adeniji, in the Victoria Island area of Lagos State.
Police said Adeniji was on his way from an event around 4.20am on Friday, December 27, 2019, when the sergeant reportedly accosted him.
It was learnt that the victim had attended a concert organised by a hip-hop artiste, Ayodeji Balogun, popularly known as Wizkid, around VI.
It was said that there was an altercation between Adeniji and the policeman during which the latter shot him. The cause of the disagreement had yet to be revealed.
It was gathered that some Good Samaritans rushed the 39-year-old man to the Naval Dockyard Hospital where he was confirmed dead.
The state Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Bala Elkana, said in a statement on Friday that the state Commissioner of Police, Hakeem Odumosu, ordered the arrest of Akanbi and subjected him to orderly room trial.
Elkana said, “The Commissioner of Police Lagos State, Hakeem Odumosu, ordered the arrest of Sergeant Lukmon Akanbi, F/No 448407, attached to the Victoria Island Police Station over the shooting of one Ramon Adeniyi, 39. The incident happened on Friday, December 27, 2019, around 4.20am, around Eko Atlantic, Victoria Island, Lagos.
There was a fracas between the police officer who was on patrol in the area and the victim who was returning from an event. The officer was said to have pulled the trigger of his pistol on the unarmed civilian, which fall short of professional standards on the use of firearms.
“The victim was rushed to the Naval Dockyard Hospital and was confirmed dead by the doctor on duty. The police sergeant was arrested and detained at the Provost Department, Command Headquarters, Ikeja. He was subjected to internal disciplinary proceedings known as orderly room trials.”
Elkana said Akanbi was found guilty of all the charges and dismissed from the Nigeria Police Force, adding that Akanbi had been handed over to the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department, Yaba, for prosecution in a conventional court.
The PPRO said, “He was arraigned before the adjudicating officer on three counts of discreditable conduct contrary to paragraph E (3) first schedule, unlawful and unnecessary exercise of authority contrary to paragraph Q (2), and damage to articles contrary to paragraph D (1), Police Act and Regulations, Cap 370 LFN 1990.
“The sergeant was found guilty of all the charges and awarded punishment of dismissal from the Nigeria Police. He was handed over to the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department, Yaba, for prosecution in a conventional court. The command condemned the unprofessional conduct of the dismissed sergeant. The Commissioner of Police condoles with family and friends of the deceased person and assured them that justice would prevail.”
Elkana said supervisory officers of erring policemen would henceforth be held vicariously liable for the misconduct of the men under them, noting that such move was part of the measures by the CP to curb incidents of professional misconduct.
“Thee CP vowed that no case of professional misconduct, human rights violations and abuse of powers by police officers would be tolerated,” he added.
