The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) on Monday identified the police officer who killed a lawyer, Mrs Omobolanle Raheem in Ajah, Lagos.
The shooting incident that occurred on Sunday. The unnamed policeman attached to the Ajah Police Station and his team were said to have tried to stop Raheem and her family members as they drove back home from a Christmas Day church service.
The lawyer was shot when the car she was on tried to make a U-turn under the Ajah Bridge. While the incident has sparked widespread criticism, the Lagos State Police Command has said an assistant superintendent of police (ASP) and two other officers are currently in custody over the incident.
However, in a statement, NBA’s National Publicity Secretary, Akorede Habeeb, said the officer has been identified as “Drambi Vandi”, an assistant superintendent of police.
“Since this terrible incident, the NBA has taken the initiative to uncover the facts surrounding the murder of our member,” the statement reads.
“In this regard, the NBA is able to report that the Lagos state police command has confirmed that the suspected murderer of our member is one ASP Drambi Vandi, an officer, who has been in the police service for 33 years!”
Apart from condemning the killing, the NBA President condoled with Raheem’s family.
Mr Maikyau prayed for the repose of the soul of Mrs Raheem and urged all members and concerned Nigerians to maintain their calm as we ensure the law takes its course.
Also, the NBA has resolved to be a complainant in the case along with her family.
“The NBA President has in this regard constituted a team comprising of National Officers, Chairman and Vice Chairperson of NBA Lagos Branch and Chairman of NBA Ikeja Branch with a mandate to follow up and ensure a speedy but thorough investigation of this crime,” the statement said.
The NBA is also aware of an earlier incident involving the Ajiwe police station and is concerned about that.
It said, “In the course of NBA’s engagement with police authorities over this deadly incident, the NBA confirmed that on or about 7th December, 2022 another young man described as Gafaru Buraimoh who was innocently on his way to buy fuel was murdered in Ajah in a similar manner as our member by a police officer attached to the now notorious Ajiwe Police Station.
“The NBA is disturbed that the Nigerian Police seems to be back to the dark days of police brutality and admonish that the lessons from the #EndSARS Protest should not be lost on any individual or authority.”
The NBA assured members of the association that “the NBA will not only get to the root of this incident, we will uproot it and take steps to deal with anyone found culpable in every lawful way. We will ensure that this does not happen to any citizen anymore.”