Gov Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti state
Gov. Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State has called for the immediate prosecution of the policemen allegedly responsible for the death of a 27-year-old lady, Miss Tayo Abe, shot dead at a family farm in Orin-Ekiti on Oct. 20.
The late Abe and her four siblings were said to be on the farm in the early hours of the day to harvest corn which they intended to sell at the market when suddenly the policemen allegedly opened fire on them, leaving two of her siblings seriously injured.
Four other people were allegedly shot at Ido-Ekiti when an angry mob stormed the police station in protest against the attack.
Fayemi made the call on Sunday shortly after visiting the family of the deceased at Orin and the
victims at the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Ido, where they were receiving treatment.
He condemned the act, saying it was “unfortunate and horrible,” adding that it was shocking that law enforcement agents could take laws into their own hands.
“We don’t need this in our environment. We need peace and stability. If citizens are not killing each other, why should policemen, who should be protecting us be the ones doing it.
“I know that the leadership of the Nigeria Police is embarrassed by the development, but the only way to prove that is to ensure that the full penalty of the law is meted to them.”
Fayemi, who said that investigation was still ongoing on the heinous act, stressed the need for continuous re-training of policemen in the use of fire-arms, adding that law enforcement agents must abide by the standard procedure on the use of fire-arms.
He said the policemen should have known that the deceased and her siblings were innocent, unless the court says otherwise, and urged law enforcement officers to always use their weapons with “decorum, restraint and sense of responsibility”.
The governor, however, appealed to people of the state not to take laws into their hands whenever they were provoked by policemen, adding that the attack on the police station was unnecessary, in view of the fact that he had insisted on the arrest and prosecution of the suspects.
He also commiserated with the family of the deceased and assured them that government would not only ensure that justice prevailed, but also cater for them to assuage their pain, while the medical bills of the victims would be settled by government.
The Assistant Commissioner of Police in the state, Mr Uduodo Adat, has also condemned the act, saying it was an embarrassment to the Nigeria Police.
He said he had expected the policemen to act in consonance with order 237 of the Nigeria Police, which restrains policemen from abusive use of their fire-arms.
Culled from NEXT