FOR the umpteenth time, the bullet of yet another trigger-happy Nigerian police officer went through an innocent teenager, killing him instantly. The tragic incident occurred recently in Ibadan when Mr. Odunayo Alade, in company of his 13-year old twin sons, Taiwo and Kehinde, was driving his elder son, Emmanuel, to school for the West African School Certificate examination.
Allegedly driving against traffic to beat the 8.30am deadline, members of the Oyo State Road Traffic Management Authority accosted Mr. Odunayo for the infringement, hitting his car with their patrol vehicle but failing to stop, a police corporal attached to the team fired at the speeding car, hitting Kehinde who was pronounced dead at a hospital where he was rushed to. An exceptionally bright student, his dream to become a lawyer perished with him. Odunayo’s breach of the driving code was not enough reason to shoot the car.
Kehinde’s tragic demise is reminiscent of the painful death on Christmas day in 2022, when a police officer allegedly shot at a private car conveying family members from a Lagos eatery, hitting a pregnant woman. The victim, Mrs. Bolanle Raheem, a lawyer, was 41-year-old. The husband was making a u-turn under the Ajah Bridge when the crazy officer, ASP Drambi Vendi, fired at the car, killing his beloved wife.
Earlier in April, 2022, two friends and businessmen, Igwe Odinaka and Chikere Obieche, were at the birthday party of one of their business associates at the Gowon Estate, Lagos when a drunken police officer opened fire on them. Way back in June, 2005, six young citizens were murdered at a police checkpoint in Abuja.
While the list of extra judicial killings of Nigerian citizens in the last couple of years is inexhaustible, it’s saddening that Kehinde, a promising child, had been forced to prematurely join his ancestors by the bullet of a police officer. It may be heartwarming that the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, has ordered thorough investigation into the circumstances that led to the death of the boy, but like cases in the past, it may only help to serve justice, which his parents demand.
Shooting at the body of moving vehicles by police officers instead of precisely aiming at their tyres to stop or hinder their acceleration has become a critical issue in policing in this part of the world. Shooting at a moving vehicle is like throwing a stone into a market in full session, striking and hurting whoever may be in its path. It speaks to the quality of training policemen receive in weapon handling. Furthermore, the action exposes the kind of psychology they have with respect to protection of lives.
There may be instances where firing indiscriminately at a moving vehicle may be acceptable. For instance, a get-away vehicle used for robbery may be so stopped to apprehend the criminals. But suppose the criminals, such as kidnappers are holding hostage some of their innocent victims in the vehicle, would it be safe to fire at it? We believe that with the aid of modern communication gadgets and well-ordered coordination, fleeing criminals and offenders can be arrested.
Without a doubt, citizens are worried by the increasing rate of extra judicial killing by members of the Nigeria police. Certainly, this is a big deficit in policing, which sends out a hugely wrong perception of the Nigeria police. With the kind of brutality and illegal killings experienced by citizens in the hands of the security operatives, can we truly say that the police are friends?
It’s at this point that we urge the hierarchy of the Nigerian police to revisit its manpower development and capacity building mandate. The entire security apparatus need a reorientation in line with modern policing, which is devoid of acts of impunity and even criminality. Operations of the police should have at their core the rule of law. In other words, the operations of the police should be guided by the nation’s laws, including the police act. By this, police officers would be seen not to violate the human rights of citizens.
We, therefore, urge the IGP and his team of respected, intelligent and experienced top management to re-strategize on how to evolve a friendlier and functional police structure that would be a pride of the nation. Through strategic seminars, workshops and police courses this could be significantly achieved. We sympathize with the Alade family over the demise of their son, Kehinde.
