Police officers who attacked and shot at peaceful #EndSARs protesters in Surulere area of Lagos state have been named by the Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu.
It was gathered that the police officers who fired live ammunition at peaceful protesters came from the Area C Police Command in Surulere, Lagos. Apart from the police brutality and harassment that occurred during the protest, a person was killed by a stray bullet. The deceased was subsequently identified as 55-year-old Ikechukwu Iloamauzor. The governor noted that four officers have been arrested in connection with the incident.
He identified the policemen as two inspectors and two sergeants. Sanwo-Olu said his government frowned at police misconduct seriously and would continue to respect the rights of the citizens to demonstrate peacefully. He condemned the violence that marred the #EndSARS protest in Surulere on Monday.
A statement from the state government quoted Sanwo-Olu as disclosing that “all the four erring police officers who fired live ammunition at peaceful protesters in Area C Police Command in Surulere had been identified and currently facing an orderly room trial that is being monitored by the Government”.
He gave the names of the erring officers to include Inspector Bagou Michael, Inspector Ekpoudom Etop, Sergeant Nnamdi Majura, and Sergeant Akinyemi Benson.
The governor said, “Also, to mention that Lagos State is taking the issue of police misconduct very seriously, earlier this week, we all recall the incident that happened at the Area C command in Surulere.“All the four officers have been identified and are going through an orderly trial.“All the four erring officers whose name I will also mention have also been apprehended and are going through an orderly trial.
They are Inspector Bagou Michael, Inspector Ekpoudom Etop, – Sergeant Nnamdi Madura, and Sergeant Akinyemi Benson.“We have also set up a panel to look into all cases of police brutality and fatality and have set up a N200m compensation fund. Once again, I apologise to any protester that has faced brutality during any of the protests days.“There were express instructions to Police in Lagos to cooperate with protesters and in situations where arrests are unavoidable, there must be full transparency and upholding of their legal rights.“If there is anyone still in custody, please bring it to my notice. Today’s unfortunate incident of thuggery is being investigated and we will bring to book those behind it.
“Even as we affirm the constitutional rights of all protesters to peacefully make your grievances known, it is also our duty as a government to ensure that the exercise of a set of rights by one group of people does not in any way constrain the rights of any other group of people.” Earlier, the Lagos police command had denied that policemen killed a protester at Area C in Surulere.
Instead, the Police Public Relations Officer in Lagos State, SP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, said a police inspector, Erin Ayodeji, attached to Surulere Anti-kidnapping Unit, and another man was killed.
Adejobi claimed that two other inspectors were critically wounded during the violent attack on their unit. Adejobi said the man died from a stray bullet from the protesters, while Insp. Ekei Joshua and Insp. Peter Agabi were receiving treatment at Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, Ikeja.
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