IGP orders DIG Ogbizi to take over investigation
Joy Anyim
A fresh protest that erupted in the Sagamu area of Ogun State, on Monday, following the killing of Tiamiyu Kazeem, by Personnel of the Special Anti – Robbery Squad (SARS), have reportedly claimed three lives.
Reports have it that youths in Sagamu had come out in their number to protest the killing of the professional footballer, demanding an end to police brutality and illegal arrests.
It was learnt that the youths had blocked major roads, burning tyres, and chanting songs in anger.
News of the protest had filtered to the police, and a team of armed policemen from the Sagamu Police Division were immediately drafted to the scene of the protest, an action which further angered the aggrieved protesters.
While the protesters allegedly attacked the policemen throwing sticks and stones at them, the policemen were said to have opened fire on the protesters.
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An eyewitness who spoke to the correspondent on the reported protest which stared around 8 a.m., said at least three persons had died when the protest became violent.
According to the eyewitness who gave his name simply as Victor, two policemen and a young man are part of the alleged fatalities, while several others sustained various degree of injuries.
Victor said: “ The protest started this morning, youths in the area were angry over the killing of Kazeem by the police. This is not the first time the police in Ogun State is killing a youth. So people felt they should go out and register their displeasure. But unfortunately, some policemen came while the protest was going wrong on. People assumed they were there to effect arrest, so they started throwing things at them.
“ The police team was attacked out of anger, they stared shooting. Two policemen were terribly injured and news has it that they had died. Another young man also lost his life in the process. I strongly believe the police made a mistake in approaching the protesters. They should have kept their distance knowing people are angry. I am afraid if things go on this way, more lives may also be lost. ”
Contacted for comments on the said protest, the Ogun Police Public Relations Officer, Abimbola Oyeyemi said he was yet to get details of the incident.
In his words: “ I am still collating information, I am yet to get the details from there. ”
Meanwhile, the Inspector General of Police, IGP Mohammed Adamu, has ordered the Deputy Inspector General of Police in-charge of the Force Criminal Investigations Department (FCID), DIG Anthony Ogbizi to take over investigations into the circumstances surrounding the death Kazeem, with immediate effect. .In a Statement by the Force Public Relations Officer, Frank Mba, the IGP gave the order on Monday, while reviewing daily reports of major crime incidents across the country.
“ The IGP, while commiserating with the family and friends of the deceased, calls for calm and assures that justice will be done in the matter, reiterating that any person found culpable will be brought to book, ” the statement reads in part.
