Objecting youths kill 2 policemen over death of colleague

It was a sad end for two policemen attached to Area ‘G’ Command, Ogba, Lagos, yesterday, as they were executed by youths at Aruna area of Ogba, who were protesting the death of one of their colleagues.
Vanguard learned that their late colleague, identified as Shina, died yesterday, while escaping from a team of policemen who batched in an area to arrest some Indian Hemp smokers.

Police

In his bid to evade arrest, the deceased, a father of two, according to eyewitnesses, scaled a fence which caved in on him. He died in the hospital he was rushed to.
When news of Shina’s death filtered in, youths in the vicinity went on rampage.
Some of them who visited the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital mortuary to collect the remains of their colleague for burial, reportedly stormed Area ‘G’ Command, protesting.
A resident, who identified himself as Seun, said: “The policemen were on patrol when they ran into the protesting youths. If they (policemen) had known it would result in their death, they would have left the scene when the protesters were abusing them.

“The hoodlums went to the mortuary in two commercial buses, two tricycles and motorcycles, displaying placards and blocked the road. They chanted anti-Police songs, accusing a policeman they identified as Alhaji at Area ‘G’ of killing their colleague during the raid.
“Immediately they sighted the patrol, one of them moved close and slapped one policeman, forcefully collected his gun and shot him at close range.

“Other policemen took to their heels, but the hoodlums pursued them and caught up with one of them that ran into Emmanuel Oluwafemi Street. They descended on the policeman. He was rescued and rushed to the hospital, where we were told he later died.”
Policemen from divisions under Area ‘G’ were drafted to the scene.
Spokesman for the Lagos State Police Command, Chief Superintendent Chike Oti, who confirmed the incident, said only one policeman was killed.

He gave the identity of the deceased as Sergeant Esiabor Collins, adding that five persons had been arrested in connection with the incident.
Oti said: “The Commissioner of Police, Lagos State, Edgal Imohimi, notes that the penchant to take laws into their own hands by some people who easily constitute themselves into a mob is becoming worrisome and policemen in the state had on several occasions shown restraint in the face of provocative actions.

“He, therefore, warns that policemen may be forced to use their firearms to defend themselves and other people about to be killed by a mob and in the protection of government assets.
“He urges parents to warn their children to refrain from such acts which may lead to a breach of the peace and unnecessary bloodletting.”