by Kolapo Olapoju

Members of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) in Oyo State shot and killed a 24-year-old tanker driver, Lekan Agboola, Olomi area of Ibadan, on Monday, 18 August.

Agboola was shot dead by a team of policemen from SARS, on Sunday evening, along 7Up road, Olomi, Ibadan, in front of a cafeteria around 9:00 pm.

Brother of the deceased, Gbenga Ajakaye said that an officer who was well known to the family had led the team of SARS and ordered one of them to shoot at the deceased.

Ajakaye said “we were all drinking at our mother’s shop on Sunday evening when Lekan said he was hungry and stood up in readiness to go and eat. Suddenly, we saw a police van heading to a sharp corner with the driver applying brake that drew the attention to their act. Maybe because he was standing, they ran after him while people around were shouting don’t shoot him, don’t shoot him.

“I can identify officer Simisere and one Tunde Ayan (something)very well, but Simisere led the operation and order his men to shoot. When I mentioned his name, they resulted to begging because we (the family) know Simisere very well.

“We then put his remains in their van but one of them dropped it, again with the assistant of people we returned his body back to their van while my mother, his wife and younger sister joined them,” he added.

Meanwhile, the Oyo state Police Public Relations Officer, SP Olabisi Okuwobi-Ilobanafor, reacted to the boy’s death, saying that the police are investigating the incident, with a view to mete out justice.

“The state police command is aware of the matter and the deputy commissioner of police, DCP Sam Okaula has ordered a high powered investigation into the matter. The Police will not hesitate to bring the erring officer to book, if found guilty. As I’m talking to you all the officers in the team have been detained by the state command. We’ll not suppress justice, I want to assure the parents of the deceased to take solace in God and believe that justice will be done.”

Kolapo Olapoju