Army Division Behind Lekki Shooting Admits Beating Police Officer To Death

…Says Incident ‘Highly Regrettable’

The 81 Division of the Nigerian Army has admitted the gruesome killing of an officer, Orukpe Monday of the Lagos State Police Command by soldiers on Wednesday.

The soldiers were reportedly heading to a training programme at the Ojo Military Cantonment when they bumped into traffic along the Trade Fair area of the state.

The traffic, however, was said to have occurred after officers of the command stopped vehicular movement to direct the passage of a trailer, which did not sit right with the group of soldiers.

The group of soldiers whose vehicle was on the side of the queuing line alighted and made their way to where the officers were, reportedly confronting them.

The situation led to a heated argument, and a soldier reportedly slapped an officer while three other officers were said to have been attacked, and two whisked off to their barrack.

“Out of the two abducted to their barracks, one died. The remaining one is currently at a hospital in their barracks,” the State’s Police Spokesperson, SP Ben Hundeyin told THE WHISTLER in a phone conversation on Friday.

Hundeyin also confirmed that the officer in the hospital was in a terrible situation, and the attacked officers were severely injured.

Reacting to the situation, the Acting Deputy Director, 81 Division Spokesperson, Major Olaniyi Osoba said, “The attention of the 81 Division Nigerian Army has been drawn to a story online over the unfortunate incident that occurred between some soldiers and policemen around Ojo in Lagos resulting in the loss of the life of a police officer.

“The Division is already in touch with the Lagos State Police Command to resolve the matter. This incident is deplorable given the Division’s disposition and zero tolerance for any misconduct

“Accordingly, the Division has instituted a Board of Inquiry to unravel the circumstance surrounding the unfortunate incident at the end of the investigation, anyone found culpable will be made to face the full wrath of the disciplinary provisions.”

Osoba commiserated with the Ojo Police Division and members of the victim’s family.

Also, a team of the Nigerian Army visited the State’s Commissioner of Police, CP Abiodun Alabi over the unfortunate incident.

Coincidentally, the soldiers who perpetrated the act are attached to the 81 Division, reported to have spearheaded the Lekki shooting in October 2020 that claimed the lives of protesters campaigning against police brutality.

Although the soldiers had denied shooting at protesters, Osoba in a statement, seven days after said soldiers only acted within the confines of the rules of engagement for internal Security operations.