Tragedy
struck at the Ogoja Market, LASU-Igando Road, Lagos State, after
operatives of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad shot dead an undergraduate
of a polytechnic in Edo State, Eldanojie Joseph.
The 20-year-old business administration student was said to be on a
visit to his cousin, Friday Ojah, who lived on Alape Street, Iba Ojo,
when he was hit by a stray bullet.
It was learnt that the operatives were chasing a suspected Internet
fraudster, identified as Badoo, who had parked his car and fled upon
sighting the officers. The operatives were said to have started shooting
sporadically.
The Esan, Edo State indigene, who had reportedly gone out to buy a
canned drink with his cousin, was hit by a stray bullet. He was said to
have died on the spot.
A Punch correspondent was told that the officers took Joseph’s corpse,
dumped it in the boot of the suspected fraudster’s car and drove off.
The cousin, Ojah, told Punch on Thursday that the police, in order to
cover up their misdeed, said Joseph was a cult member. He explained that
Joseph had only arrived in Lagos about three weeks ago.
He said, “We grew up and attended the same primary and secondary schools
together. He gained admission into a polytechnic in Edo State, while I
am still processing my admission into the same school.
“Around 9.30am on Monday, we strolled out to buy a can of soft drink. We
were returning home when we learnt that some policemen were chasing
somebody.
“We decided to go through the back of the market. As we turned back, my
brother was hit by a bullet in the head and he fell down immediately.
“As I tried to call for help, I saw that the policeman that shot him had
aimed his gun at me. I fled the place immediately.” He said the
officers put the corpse in the boot of the car left by the suspected
fraudster and drove away.
Punch Metro gathered that the corpse was taken to the SARS headquarters in Ikeja, from where it was taken to a morgue.
Punch correspondent was told that the SARS team that conducted the
operation alleged that the victim was a cult member and he had attempted
to shoot at them when they fired back.
“But it was all lies. He only had the canned drink we bought, a phone
charger and a handset on him when the incident happened. The police lied
to cover up their misdeed,” Ojah added. The policemen on the team that
killed the victim were identified as Lucky, Oganla.
A legal practitioner and family friend of the victim, Saheed Sanni,
decried the killing, saying the policemen must be arrested and brought
to book.
He said, “Cases like this, involving SARS officers, have become rampant
in the state. They kill with impunity and believe they can always get
away with it. Whereas Section 33 of the 1999 Constitution protects the
sanctity of human lives and prescribes of that sanctity. You cannot just
take anybody’s life without a court order or judgment. We are taking up
the case and justice must be done.”
The Police Public Relations Officer, SP Dolapo Badmos, said she had yet
to be briefed on the incident, adding that she would get back as soon as
the Officer-in-Charge of SARS briefed her.
She said, “The OC SARS has yet to brief the command on that issue and he
has been directed to do so. I will get back as soon as I have the facts
of the case.”