EXCLUSIVE: Police Raid, Arrest 20 over Murder of Colleague

Lagos POLICE PRO, BRAIDE

 By Chiemelie Ezeobi

The Area N Police Command of the Lagos State Police Command, weekend, arrested about 20 persons who allegedly murdered a policeman, as well as inflicted injuries on two other police officers.

 The deceased mobile police officer and his colleagues were attacked at Imowo Nla community in Ikorodu area of Lagos while trying to restore peace amongst some disgruntled persons. 

 It was gathered that the police were called in by some residents to mediate over a  large expanse of land which has been embroiled in dispute in the community.

It was gathered that trouble began in the area last week Tuesday when the different families with interest in the same portion of land under dispute engaged in a serious scuffle which led to fisticuffs.

The situation was said to have degenerated, which prompted some persons to call in the area commander, in-charge of Area 'N' Command headquarters, Ijede, Ikorodu,  Amos Marcus Omu-Iyadun, an Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP).

The ACP was said to have initially called in for reinforcement from the Lagos State Police Command headquarters, Ikeja, to help beef up security.

Within days, peace was restored in the community and the policemen were withdrawn to the neighbouring Area 'N' command headquarters, Ijede.

However, on Friday, about 50 hoodlums popularly known as 'Omo Onile', were said to have stormed the area with five buses and unleashed mayhem.

A distress call placed to the police saw some policemen including the deceased officer drafted to the scene. However, the hoodlums were said to have opened fire as soon as they sighted the policemen, killing one and injuring  two others.

Confirming the arrests, the state Police Command Spokesperson, Ngozi Braide, said the arrested suspects have been transferred to the homicide detectives of the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Panti Street, Yaba, Lagos, for further investigation.