BALA Elkana, the Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), has said that the police officer who fired a shot at a moving vehicle of a couple including their daughter in Lagos has been arrested.
A video posted by a Twitter user, @ewejeoyewole, shows that at exactly 8:57 pm, on Monday, a nursing mother was seen writhing in pain on the road with her crying baby while her husband was seeing dragging the accused police officer.
The police officer dressed in a Mobile Police outfit is seen in the video holding an AK 47 gun. A car believed to belong to the couple has it’s back windshield shattered, which looked like a gunshot impact.
Dear Distinguish @segalink please kindly see the video attached, a police officer as seen in the video shot a car, broke the glass of a car because they refuse to offer bride, despite seeing that it was a family man, with the wife and kids. pic.twitter.com/sX9znQwfNY
— Selfless Ayodele (@ewejeoyewole) July 27, 2020
When contacted by The ICIR, Elkana who said he was aware of the incident disclosed that the police has commenced investigation into the circumstances that led to the incident.
He however said that no one was injured or killed during the shooting, insisting that it was the sound of the gunshot that caused the pregnant woman to faint.
“I am aware of that incident, the policeman is in custody and we have commenced an investigation into the circumstances that led to that incident. Nobody was injured nobody was killed” Elkana added.
The unidentified police officer who The ICIR later confirmed to be a corporal fired gun shot at a moving Toyota Camry 2009 model with number plate Lagos KRD 351GD conveying a couple and their daughter.
Scenes from the incident subjected to geo-location investigation by The ICIR revealed that the incident happened in Central Business District, Dr Nurudeen Olowopopo Way, in front of Japaul House, Ikeja, Lagos state.
Elkana also told The ICIR that the police are in touch with the family as the affected part of the vehicle has been repaired by the police force.
While The ICIR understands that the point at which the couple’s car was shot is not a police checkpoint, the PPRO further disclosed that the officer was on an escort duty “ going somewhere.”
“So we are investigating why that happened, what led him into firing,” he said.
Samad Uthman is a multimedia journalist with the International Centre for Investigative Reporting. He tweets @sarmerdk2 and can be shot through [email protected]
The police man is a big goat
What a country soldier go ride u police self go ride u
Officer,if it were ur enemy better, but innocent couple’s
Ahh very bad step.
Please this case should be taken seriously. Police brutality in. Nigeria is worst in the entire Africa. Police that are meant to protect the citizenry are now a serious threat. No day comes by without this kind of sad news. If the inspector of General of Police not ready to reform the or purge the system he should resign amicably. The police man that shot the car should be dismissed and send to jail. This will serve as a deterrent to the bad eggs in the system