POLICE DPO KILLS FASHION DESIGNER IN LAGOS

Scene of the incident

A 25-year-old fashion designer, Jamiu Ayoade, has been shot dead allegedly by the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) in charge of Ijeshatedo Police Division. The DPO, identified as Muhammed Yakubu, also injured two persons. The incident occurred about 7 p.m. on Sunday at No 49, Wosilat Daudu Street, Ijeshatedo, where the deceased went to attend a friend’s birthday party.

Those injured, Akeem Lawal and his friend, were said to be on admission at a private hospital. Witnesses told our correspondent yesterday that the DPO and his men stormed the venue of the birthday party in two patrol vans about 6.30 p.m. and left after observing what the youth were doing.

It was learnt that a few minutes later, the DPO and his men returned to the venue. Immediately they got there, one of the policemen shot into the air. The DPO alighted from the van, brought out his service pistol and went straight to where Ayoade was sitting near his girlfriend. Yakubu allegedly shot him in the head.

On a visit to the house where the birthday party was held yesterday, the floor was covered with the blood of the deceased. Some residents, who gathered at the scene, were weeping and raining curses on the DPO. The celebrant’s elder brother, Mr. Jelili Bakare, said he was surprised with the way Ayoade was killed.

He said: “My younger brother, Abubakar Animashaun, was celebrating his birthday party with some of his friends in low-key at our late father’s house, when the DPO and his men came about 6.30 p.m. The DPO called a woman, Mama Aliyat, on the street and they left. Surprisingly, the policemen came back later.

“One of the policemen with the DPO shot into the air, believing that the youth at the birthday party would run, but they did not. Out of annoyance, the DPO came down from his vehicle and went to where Ayoade was sitting in the passage of the house and shot him in the head.

“After the shooting, the DPO called for reinforcement from another police division in the area and lied to them that the youth were armed with cutlasses and that broken bottles littered the venue of the party.

“But when the other DPO he called arrived the scene with his men, they left angrily when they could not see any trace of violence. The most annoying part of it was that when we went to Itire-Ikate Local Council Development Area to lodge complaint to council secretary, the DPO also came and said the deceased had been on their wanted list.” But the elder brother of the deceased, Mr. Taofeek Ayoade, said his brother was an easy going person, who never visited any police station in his life.

He said: “What annoyed us most was the allegation of the DPO that my brother had been on their wanted listed. Wanted list for what purpose? We are calling on Lagos State government and the state Commissioner of Police to come to our aid. “As I speak with you, my mother is in a critical condition.

She wept profusely when the news of her son’s death was broken to her. But as a Muslim we have buried him at Atan Cemetery.” When contacted, the state Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), ASP Olarinde Famous-Cole, said the DPO shot the victim in self-defence.

He said: “Some policemen went to the community on Sunday based on information that some suspected cultists had gathered in the area. One of them was arrested and items like cutlasses and Indian hemp were recovered from him.”

Source: New Telegraph