Police Dismisses Officer who opened Fire on a Couple inside a Tricycle in Lagos

The Lagos State Police Command has dismissed police corporal, Aremu Musiliu,one of the four policemen attached to the Isheri Osun Police Station who had mounted a checkpoint on Wednesday at the Obalagbe bus stop, Ijegun Road for opening fire on a couple in Ijegun, Alimosho, Lagos State.

Musiliu and some other policemen had on Wednesday mounted a checkpoint at the Obalagbe bus stop, Ijegun Road when they reportedly opened fire on the victims, Mr. Godwin Ekpo and his wife, Idongesit, who were returning from a church programme in their tricycle at around 12am.

Godwin was said to have mistakenly brushed the policemen van while trying to evade them. Museliu was alleged to have opened fire on the couple, after another policeman smashed their windscreen.
The 28-year-old Musliu was arraigned on Friday before an Ebute Meta Chief Magistrate’s Court on two counts of murder and causing grievous body harm.
The Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Joe Offor, who confirmed Musliu's dismissal said;

“The orderly room trial was constituted in the early hours of Thursday and the authorities were not satisfied with the excuses he gave for the misuse of his firearms. He has been dismissed.”

Asked what would happen to the other policemen said to have been part of the incident, Offor said investigations were ongoing and any other culprit would be appropriately sanctioned.

“It was a single bullet that killed the woman and wounded the man. There is no way eight policemen could have fired a single bullet.
“But investigations are ongoing and if there is any complicity of any other policeman, we will do the needful,” he added.

 Musiliu, in an interview with the press, said
“It happened 12am in the night, and there were four of us on duty. We were all in uniform and the Hilux van we used was a police vehicle; we did not use any illegal bus.
“We have the instruction to arrest tricycles and motorcycles that ply our roads late in the night. And that was why we did stop-and-search by that time.
“The man had damaged our vehicle and when I asked him to stop, he continued running. I could not just leave him to run away and there was no way I could stop him. I aimed at the tyre and fired a shot, but I missed.
“The bullet hit the ground and bounced in to hit the woman and her husband. The bullet did not hit the man in the stomach, but the jaw. I did not run. The DC came to pick me around 2am at our division where I was detained.”

The suspect was, however, arraigned on Friday on two counts bordering on murder and causing grievous body harm.

The offences were said to be punishable under sections 221 and 243 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State of Nigeria, 2011.

His plea was not taken for the offence. The police prosecutor, Godwin Osuyi of the Legal Section, Department of State Criminal Investigation, Yaba, in a remand application, said the defendant had already confessed to the crime.

He said Musiliu was arrested with exhibits, caught with a weapon, and identified by witnesses.

“There is need for further investigation. We urge the court to remand the defendant in custody for 30 days to enable us to complete all investigations,” he said.