Power-drunk ASP shoots tricycle driver dead, flees

The deceased’s tricycle, Akeem

The Nigerian Police Force, Lagos State Command, has launched a manhunt for an Assistant Superintendent of Police, identified as Mohammed, who allegedly shot dead a tricycle driver, Akeem Aranse, during an argument in Shasha, in the Akowonjo area of the state.

The PUNCH learnt that Mohammed, who is attached to the Disaster Management Unit of the Department of Operations, Lagos State Police Command headquarters, Ikeja, moved out of his apartment on Unity Close, Egbeda, shortly after the incident.

Our correspondent learnt that Mohammed had boarded a commercial motorcycle (okada), which was hit by the tricyle operator on Kareem Laka Street in the Egbeda area.

Comments

One love: It is a pity that Nigerians are treated with such disdain by trained policemen. May God console the family of the deceased.

Hero: Joseph Mbu is now quiet. He thought the Peoples Democratic Party would win the presidential election. What is his position on this issue?

Sunday Njokede: Nigerian policemen are under much pressure. Most of them have not collected their annual leave allowances in the past five years if not more. And they work round the clock because there is shortage of personnel to man secure the growing population. The President-elect, Muhammadu Buhari, should make sure that the NPF is taken good care of henceforth. This is not to say that I am justifying the killing of innocent people by the officers.

Mumu People: Njokede, if there is a shortage of police to man the country’s security as you claimed, why should dozens of policemen be assigned to a governor, a so-called first lady or an ordinary local government chairman? Should the available few ones be assigned to a few people in the name of public offices?

West: The citizens have remained passive for too long. The only way this reckless killing will stop is for the citizens to stand up against the injustice and inhuman treatment. We should begin to act and stop lamenting on the pages of newspapers.

Raul: This is insane! What kind of people do we have as policemen in Nigeria? This has to stop.

Falsenation: Most of the policemen who claim to be from the north are actually foreigners from neighbouring countries. That is why they are so comfortable eliminating innocent Nigerians. A similar thing is common in federal agencies. Many people who claim to be northerners are immigrants from Chad, Cameroon and Niger. The majority of them have their families in their native countries.