IG orders probe into motorcyclist’s death

Posted by admin Headlines, Nigerian Police Thursday, August 22nd, 2013

The Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Abubakar, has ordered the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Umar Manko, to conduct a thorough investigation into the shooting of a commercial motorcyclist, Olalekan Ajayi, by a policeman at the Ikorodu area of the state.

The IG, who appealed for calm to enable the police authorities to probe the matter, pledged that justice would be done.

A statement by the Force Public Relations Officer, Frank Mba, in Abuja on Thursday said the policeman linked with the killing of Ajayi had been arrested, detained and was presently undergoing investigation.

Mba said, “The IG condoles with the bereaved relations, friends and colleagues of the late Olalekan Ajayi. While promising that the Force will do its utmost best to ensure that the investigation into the death is properly done and concluded in record time, the IG calls on all aggrieved persons to remain calm and patient.”

Meanwhile, the police in Lagos have appealed for calm among commercial motorcycle riders in Ikorodu following Ajayi’s death.

Manko said the riders should not take the law into their hands but allow it to take its course.

He said, “What I learnt was that on Tuesday, some men from the Rapid Response Squad went to Ikorodu to enforce the state traffic law and there was a misunderstanding between them and the commercial motorcyclists.

“In the process, the policemen were mobbed and, unfortunately, one of the commercial motorcyclists had a gun injury and later died in hospital.

“On Wednesday morning, the okada riders regrouped and said they wanted to claim the corpse of the dead motorcyclist and also wanted the authorities to release the injured policeman in the hospital to them.”

Manko said the riders should calm down and wait for the actions to be taken by the police authorities.

“They should allow the law to take its course,” he said.

wp_posts