The Lagos State Police Command has denied media reports attributed to the leaders of Okunraye Community in Ibeju-Lekki, alleging that stray bullet from a mobile policemen hit the Lekki Free Trade Zone Managing Director, Alhaji Tajudeen Disu, from behind and killed him instantly.
This claim was contained in an affidavit in support of a Fundamental rights suit filed before a Lagos High Court against the Police, Directorate of State Security (DSS) and Dangote group.
The community also sued the Inspector General of Police, Lagos Police Commissioner, Special Anti-robbery Squad (SARS), the Nigerian Army and Ibeju Lekki Local Government.
One Alhaji Surajudeen Salami, who deposed to the affidavit, also claimed that the bullet hit a young woman from the community and she sustained injury on the arm.
Salami, who said he saw the policeman that pulled the trigger that killed Disu, alleged that the policemen stop shooting when they realised that a stray bullet had killed the LFTZ boss.
Disu died last week Monday of gunshot wounds when he was attacked by gunmen during a peace mission to one of the communities in the Free Trade Zone Area in Ibeju-Lekki.
But the Lagos State Police Command’s spokesman, DSP Joseph Offor, condemned the allegation, describing the report as cheap blackmail and diversionary.
“They are not serious, who inflicted machete injury on retired Col. Usman, the Chief Security Officer of Dangote Refinery? Was it the police that inflicted the injury on him?
“Their allegation is diversionary, it’s a cheap blackmail.
“Is it the police that asked the villagers to gang up in their numbers to stage a violent protest? Is it the police that asked them to come from their homes with charms and ammunition?
“All those things they are trying to say is simply a cheap blackmail and diversionary.
“It is not true and investigation is still ongoing. When the autopsy is conducted, we will get to know how he died”, Offor said on Wednesday.
The Lagos PPRO added; “They should own up because before they left their various homes that morning, all of them were armed to the teeth to do exactly what happened that day which is to kill and maim.
“The Police cannot join issues with them on that kind of cheap blackmail”.
