Jungle Justice: Police arrest three community leaders for killing burglar
Joy Joseph, Lagos
Police operatives attached to the Ikotun Division of the Lagos State Police Command, have arrested three community leaders for lynching a suspected burglar in Ikotun.
Preliminary investigation revealed that the burglar had gained entrance into the room of one Mrs. Adeyemi Opeyemi, of No 2, Asalu Bus Stop, off Abaranje Road, Ikotun in Lagos, in an attempt to rob her.
It was gathered that the woman reportedly raised alarm and the burglar who escaped into the street was apprehended by some members of the community, who beat him to death.
The Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Olumuyiwa Adejobi, identified the suspects as; Sakariyau Biliaminu, 66, John Adeyemi, 77, and Gabriel Ajayi, 55, maintained they have some questions to answer pertaining to the killing of the suspect.
Adejobi said the Commissioner of Police (CP), Lagos State, Hakeem Odumosu, has condemned the act of jungle justice meted on the suspect.
” The CP has vowed to kick against jungle justice in the state, as it is becoming rampant and such is inimical to our collective efforts to improve on the Criminal Justice System of Lagos State,” he said.
Similarly, police operatives attached to the Ojo Division of the command have arrested three suspected traffic robbers namely; Bashiru Ammo, 19, Ibrahim Mohammed, 23, and Arinze Victor, 19.
The PPRO said all the suspects were from Alaba Rago Market, in Ojo-Lagos, and were notorious for attacking innocent commuters in the Ojo area.
“As a follow-up to a police investigation, other suspected receivers to the traffic robbers were arrested. They are Bello Jafaru, 20, Nuru Abdullahi, 23, Nafiu Saray, 21, and Bashiru Mohammed,19. All of Kasuwan-Dare Alaba Rago, Ojo-Lagos.
“The suspects have confessed to the crime of attacking and dispossessing commuters and innocent Lagosians of their belongings along Ojo-Iba Road.”
Adejobi said the Commissioner of Police, has ordered that all the suspects be transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Yaba, for proper investigation and possible prosecution as the command will leave no stone unturned in getting rid of crimes and criminality in the state.
“The police boss however charged officers and men of the command to be more proactive to security issues around their areas of responsibility in the state, as they are expected to exploit available resources within their reach, including robust intelligence, community policing concept, and public relations to police their areas,” the command’s spokesperson said.
