Police kill Customs agent while dispersing protesters

Ganiyu Adedoyin

A licensed clearing agent, Ganiyu Adedoyin, has been killed in Oshodi, Lagos, by policemen attached to the Makinde Division.

Adedoyin was said to have died on Sunday after he was hit by a stray bullet from a policeman’s rifle while the businessman was having a meal of eko and peppersoup at a canteen.

At the time, the policemen were said to be attempting to disperse protesters, who had stormed

the station to protest the death of one Rafiu Adeniji at the Mangoro end of the Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway.

PUNCH Metro had on Tuesday, reported that Adeniji was killed by a policeman in the presence of his six-year-old daughter. Some youths allegedly stormed the Makinde Police Division to protest against Adeniji’s death after his corpse was taken to his mother’s home at Samura Street, Oshodi.

In a bid to disperse the protesters, some policemen were said to have fired into the crowd after ordering them to take their protest elsewhere as Adeniji’s killing did not happen in their jurisdiction.

Adedoyin, who was having his meal at a nearby canteen, was hit in the chest by a stray bullet. When our correspondent visited the scene of the incident on Baderin Street, Adedoyin’s friends were seen discussing the incident.

One of them, who identified himself simply as Adebayo, claimed to have witnessed the incident. Adebayo insisted that Adedoyin did not participate in the protest.

He said, “On Sunday, around 6pm, we had just finished watching the football match between Arsenal FC and West Brom when Adedoyin said he wanted to eat so we sat outside and were all talking together when we saw two white police patrol vehicles drive by and park at Mukadas junction.

“We started hearing sporadic gunshots and we all stood up to run inside when a bullet hit Adedoyin in the chest. He fell to the ground and started begging us to rush him to a hospital.”

Adebayo said because the shooting continued, they were all afraid to leave the place but they were able to get a car and carried him into it. He said Adedoyin was taken to three hospitals but was not given any treatment

He said, “We went to Mandela Hospital, Bolade, but the security guard told us no one was available so we took him to Grand Progress Medical Centre on Church Street, but we were told that there was no blood.

“Next, we took him to Ayoradex Hospital also known as Pure Heart on Alimi Oke Street, but we were told that they did not have oxygen. They advised us to take him to Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, Ikeja. On getting to LASUTH, he was confirmed dead and we were told to get a police report before they could accept the corpse at the mortuary.”

PUNCH Metro learnt that all attempts by Adedoyin’s friends to get a police report from the Makinde Police Division, proved futile as the police denied killing Adedoyin. The deceased’s friends allegedly met a brickwall when they attempted to obtain a police report from the Akinpelu Police Division.

They were allegedly mocked by the policemen on duty who threatened to shoot them.

Adebayo said, “On getting to Akinpelu Police Station, we met two policemen at the entrance. We told them the reason why we came but they mocked us. One of the policemen said, ‘We heard what you youths did at Makinde Police Station, causing havoc. Now you want police report. If you don’t get out of here, we will shoot you.”

It took the intervention of PUNCH Metro for the youths to get a police report after a telephone call to the Area F Commander, ACP Tunde Adagunduro, who instructed that the policemen convey the corpse to LASUTH.

“Even at LASUTH, the station officer of Makinde refused to give us a copy of the police report because the police did not want to own up to the killing,” Adebayo said.

Elder brother to the deceased, Kehinde, described Adedoyin’s death as a great loss to the family and demanded justice for his murder.

He said, “My brother was a responsible man. He had no time for protests. He was killed by a police stray bullet. We want justice for him and a speedy release of his corpse for burial.”

Although the Lagos State Deputy Police Public Relations Officer, Damasus Ozoani, confirmed the protest at Makinde Police Division, he however said the police were not aware of the killing of Adedoyin.

Ozoani said, “After Adeniji’s killing in Agege area, youths in Oshodi, wielding petrol and other weapons, attempted to burn down Makinde Police Division but we were able to disperse them.”