Some leaders of Okunraye Community, one of the villages hosting the Lekki Free Trade Zone, in the Ibeju Lekki area of Lagos State told a Lagos State High Court in Igbosere on Tuesday that the police were responsible for the killing of the Managing Director of the free trade zone, Alhaji Tajudeen Disu.
We reported on October 12, 2015 that Disu was killed by some rioters from Okunraye, who protested against the takeover of their land by the government.
The police had subsequently arrested and charged 17 members of the community with Disu’s killing.
But in a fundamental rights enforcement action filed before a Lagos State High Court in Igbosere, four leaders of Okunraye community claimed that Disu was killed by a stray bullet fired by the police.
In the affidavit filed to support their suit, one of the community leaders, Alhaji Surajudeen Salami, claimed to have seen the policeman who pulled the trigger that hit Disu.
According to Salami, a large number of riot policemen had on the the fateful day stormed Okunraye, apparently in view of a scheduled meeting between the community leaders and representatives of Dangote Group.
The meeting, he said, was to discuss how members of the community would benefit, in terms of employment, in a construction project embarked upon by Dangote in the community.
Salami, however, claimed that while the meeting, also attended by the Divisional Police Officer in the area, was ongoing at the palace of the Baale of Okunraye, riot policemen pulled down the barricade mounted by the youths and began shooting into the air.
“Some residents rushed to the Baale’s house to inform him of the development. The DPO also left Baale’s house immediately.
“When I got there, I met the Managing Director of the Lekki Free Trade Zone Limited, Mr. Tajudeen Disu; Chairman of Resettlement Committee, Alhaji Jegede; and the Baale of Igiye community.
“While we were imploring Mr. Disu, Alhaji Jegede and the Baale of Igiye Community to stop policemen from shooting, a stray bullet hit Mr. Disu from behind and he died instantly,” Salami said.
Joined as defendants in the fundamental rights enforcement suit are the police, the IG, Lagos State Commissioner of Police, The Nigerian Army, Department of State Services, Special Anti-Robbery Squad, Dangote Group and the Ibeju Lekki Local Government Area.
The applicants are seeking a court order directing the immediate and unconditional release of community members arrested over Disu’s killing.
They also want a declaration that the invasion of their community on October 12, 2015, and their subsequent arrests constituted a threat to life, freedom, private and family life.
When the matter came up before Justice R.I.B. Adebiyi on Tuesday, the applicants’ lawyer, Akinlabi Apara, informed the court of an ex parte application and other processes filed in the suit.
We reported on October 12, 2015 that Disu was killed by some rioters from Okunraye, who protested against the takeover of their land by the government.
The police had subsequently arrested and charged 17 members of the community with Disu’s killing.
But in a fundamental rights enforcement action filed before a Lagos State High Court in Igbosere, four leaders of Okunraye community claimed that Disu was killed by a stray bullet fired by the police.
In the affidavit filed to support their suit, one of the community leaders, Alhaji Surajudeen Salami, claimed to have seen the policeman who pulled the trigger that hit Disu.
According to Salami, a large number of riot policemen had on the the fateful day stormed Okunraye, apparently in view of a scheduled meeting between the community leaders and representatives of Dangote Group.
The meeting, he said, was to discuss how members of the community would benefit, in terms of employment, in a construction project embarked upon by Dangote in the community.
Salami, however, claimed that while the meeting, also attended by the Divisional Police Officer in the area, was ongoing at the palace of the Baale of Okunraye, riot policemen pulled down the barricade mounted by the youths and began shooting into the air.
“Some residents rushed to the Baale’s house to inform him of the development. The DPO also left Baale’s house immediately.
“When I got there, I met the Managing Director of the Lekki Free Trade Zone Limited, Mr. Tajudeen Disu; Chairman of Resettlement Committee, Alhaji Jegede; and the Baale of Igiye community.
“While we were imploring Mr. Disu, Alhaji Jegede and the Baale of Igiye Community to stop policemen from shooting, a stray bullet hit Mr. Disu from behind and he died instantly,” Salami said.
Joined as defendants in the fundamental rights enforcement suit are the police, the IG, Lagos State Commissioner of Police, The Nigerian Army, Department of State Services, Special Anti-Robbery Squad, Dangote Group and the Ibeju Lekki Local Government Area.
The applicants are seeking a court order directing the immediate and unconditional release of community members arrested over Disu’s killing.
They also want a declaration that the invasion of their community on October 12, 2015, and their subsequent arrests constituted a threat to life, freedom, private and family life.
When the matter came up before Justice R.I.B. Adebiyi on Tuesday, the applicants’ lawyer, Akinlabi Apara, informed the court of an ex parte application and other processes filed in the suit.
No comments:
Post a Comment