60 arrested in Lagos over police officer’s murder

No fewer than 60 suspects have been arrested in Lagos following the brutal murder on Thursday of a Chief Superintendent of Police, Kazeem Abonde.

CSP Abonde was killed in the Ajao Estate area of Lagos State where he and his team had gone to enforce the ban of operations of commercial motorcycles on major roads and bridges.

Irate motorcyclists had regrouped after their bikes were impounded and attacked the police team.

It was reported that the attackers snatched Abonde’s service pistol and shot him with it, while other operatives who went on the operation with him fled for fear of being lynched.

They also vandalised a patrol vehicle, allegedly stole three service rifles, as well as injured the Divisional Police Officer, Ajao Estate, CSP Abdullahi Malla and other operatives.

As Abonde was rushed to the hospital by sympathisers, the mob allegedly went after him and smashed his head with stones and clubs.

Abonde had planned to quit field work by December, six months to his retirement from the force, The Nation learnt.

A police source said the CSP saw the mob advancing but ordered his men not to fire any shot to prevent extrajudicial killings.

“The bikers visibly displayed cutlasses, bottles, axes, sticks and stones as they charged towards the police team. The mob chased the armed policemen towards the main gate leading to the estate. The policemen who were with the CSP abandoned their patrol vehicle and fled.

“The CSP, who was alone at this point, made frantic efforts to calm the irate crowd but they refused to listen. They vandalised the patrol vehicle, disarmed and shot him,” the source said.

Police Commissioner, Lagos State, Hakeem Odumosu, has vowed that the command would ensure the culprits were brought to book, adding that 60 suspects have been arrested while investigation continued.

He also said that the three service firearms carted away by the hoodlums had been retrieved, while the injured officers were recuperating.

“It is a painful loss. It saddens my heart that an officer was killed in such a cruel manner. We have been investigating the matter and presently, we have 60 suspects in custody,” Odumosu said.