Crime
Nigerian Police indicted in extrajudicial killing of Jumoke Oyeleke
A coroner’s investigation into the circumstances surrounding the death of Jumoke Oyeleke, a lady who was reported to have been killed by a stray bullet during a Yoruba Nation rally in Lagos state, has returned a verdict indicting the Nigerian Police.
The coroner, Magistrate Mukaila Fadeyi, who sat at the magistrate court in the Ogba area of Lagos, said the police shot the deceased and caused her untimely death.
Recall that on July 3, 2021, Yoruba Nation agitators converged at the Gani Fawehinmi Freedom Park in the Ojota area of Lagos to demand an independent state for the southwest region.
It was alleged that men of the Nigerian Police shot into the air and used teargas canisters to disperse the crowd and Jumoke, a 25-year-old salesgirl, was shot dead.
In his findings, The coroner said, “The only logical conclusion is that the deceased died from a weapon by the Nigerian police” and noted that “the deceased deserves our sympathy.”
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The coroner went on to make the following recommendations:
“(1) it is strongly recommended that the state govt encourages the FG on the training, retraining and reorientation of police officers on the right to hold protests in a democratic setting.
“(2) Payment of compensation should be effected to the family of the deceased by the FG.
“(3) The IGP shd ensure a total overhaul of the police force to fish out the bag eggs and ensure that they are brought to book to forestall further accidental killings.
“(4) Mental & medical checkups are recommended for police officers to determine suitability to bear arms
“(5) Access to Freedom Park should never be locked or cordoned off in future
“(6) No police officer detailed to protest grounds shd be issued live bullets
“(7) The AG Lagos should be mandated to pass on these recommendations to the relevant authorities for implementation
“(8) There is also the need of the state to fund the activities of the coroner act 2015, in order to stem unwarranted and unlawful killings in the state.”
In his reaction to the coroner’s findings, counsel for the Oyeleke family, Taiwo Olawanle from the law firm of Falana & Falana said, “The verdict means that there is hope for the ordinary masses. The police should however go further and fish out the culprit so they can recommend his prosecution.”
Nigerian Police indicted in extrajudicial killing of Jumoke Oyeleke
The Anambra State Police Command has foiled a cult initiation ceremony in Nawfia, Njikoka Local Government Area of the state.
Spokesperson for the Command, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, disclosed this in a statement issued on Tuesday in Awka.
According to Ikenga, the operation was carried out by police operatives around 9:30am on June 15, leading to the arrest of six suspects at the scene.
Recovered during the raid were one Jojef pump action gun, two cartridges, and a golden-coloured Lexus SUV with registration number ATN 202 AE. Other items found include two cutlasses, two scissors, a cap bearing the inscription of the Supreme Vikings Confraternity, charms, and substances suspected to be hard drugs.
“They are currently undergoing police interrogation to get more insight into their modus operandi, after which the case will be charged to court on the conclusion of the investigations,” Ikenga stated.
The police spokesperson reassured residents of the command’s unwavering commitment to fighting cultism and other related crimes across the state.
An Ikeja Magistrates’ Court, Lagos, on Wednesday, remanded two persons, Olaitan Fasasi and Kehinde Tobiloba in a correctional facility over alleged attempted murder.
Fasasi, 40, and Tobiloba, 26, whose addresses were not provided, are being charged with conspiracy, attempted murder and membership of a secret society.
The Magistrate, Mr L.A Owolabi, did not take the plea of the defendants for want of jurisdiction.
Owolabi directed the police to forward the case file to the Director of Public Prosecution for legal advice.
He thereafter adjourned the case until May 31 for mention.
The Prosecutor, Josephine Ikhayere, told the court that the defendants committed the offences at about 5.02p.m on Feb. 15, at Mushin, Lagos.
She said that Fasasi, Tobiloba and others now at large, attempted to commit murder by shooting at a resident, Alfred Ademola.
“They armed themselves with a locally made gun. They belong to Eiye Confraternity, a group proscribed by law,”, she said.
Ikhayere said that the offences contravened Sections 230(1) and 411 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2012.
He said that the actions of the defendants also contravened Section 2(3)(a)(b)(c)(d) of the unlawful societies and Cultism Law of Lagos State Law.
An Area Court in Jos, on Tuesday, sentenced one Jeptha John, to three months imprisonment for stealing a Redmi mobile phone valued at N165, 000.
The judge, Shawomi Bokkos, sentenced the John after he pleaded guilty to the offence.
The judge, however, gave the convict an option to pay N20, 000 fine and N50, 000 restitution to the complainant.
Bokkos said that if the convict defaulted in paying the restitution, three months should be added to his sentence to make it six months imprisonment.
Earlier, the police prosecutor, Insp Monday Dabit, told the court that the case was reported at the B Division Police Station, Jos, on Dec. 1, 2024, by Ms Nerat Danjuma.
He said that the complainant alleged that the defendant trespassed into her house and stole her mobile phone valued at N165, 000.
The prosecutor further told the court that the offence contravened the Plateau State Penal Code, Law of Northern Nigeria.
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