Gbenga Raheem, the husband of pregnant Lagos lawyer, Omobolanle, has narrated how a policeman attached to the Ajiwe Police Station in Ajah area of Lagos State shot his wife to death on Christmas Day.
Raheem spoke when some sympathizers paid a condolence visit to his home on Monday.
The 41-year-old victim, who had a child, was seven-month pregnant at the time of the incident.
“On December 25, my wife, nieces, nephews, and cousins, who had come for the holiday, all went to church. On our way back, my wife said since it was Christmas Day, we should take everyone out, so, we went to a supermarket at Abraham Adesanya, then to Domino’s Pizza.
“After that, we headed towards Ajah to do a U-turn to come back to Abraham Adesanya. When we took the U-turn, we saw policemen stopping some vehicles. As we approached them, they said we should stop, and in the process, we heard a loud sound on my wife’s side window. All of a sudden, I saw blood gushing out of her chest.
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“I immediately ran out; my sister-in-law, who was also with us, ran out and held the policeman; he cocked his gun at her too. Talking to him was pointless, so I went to see if anything could be done; I saw my wife gasping for breath, and by that time, my sister-in-law had brought the policeman into the car and pushed him into the front seat.
“We drove to a hospital but they said they couldn’t handle it; we eventually took her to Grandville Hospital, where she was confirmed dead. The policemen took her body and put it in the truck; they wanted me to follow them but I said I needed to go and settle my children,” Raheem said.
The Lagos State Police Command identified the policeman involved in the shooting as ASP Drambi Vandi.
He confirmed that the suspect has been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) Panti, promising that investigation into the incident “will be swift”.
Meanwhile, the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Usman Baba, condemned the killing.
In a Monday statement by the Force Public Relations Officer (PPRO), CSP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, the police boss described the incident as unfortunate and sad and ordered a speedy investigation and prosecution of the officers responsible for the killing.
Baba said that “the ugly and unprofessional act” does not portray the Nigeria Police Standard Operating Procedure and core values.
“In the same vein, the IGP commiserates with the family, friends, and colleagues of the deceased as he prays for the repose of her soul.
“He further assures the general public of justice in the case while he warns officers and men of the Force to be professional and people-oriented in the discharge of their duties and operate within the ambit of the law, as the Force’s leadership will not condone any inappropriate or unprofessional acts,” the statement read in part.
