Bolanle Raheem: NHRC Advises Police As NBA Sets To Prosecute Trigger-Happy Officer Who Killed Lawyer

The Executive Secretary, National Human Rights Commission, Chief Tony Ojukwu OFR, SAN said on Tuesday, that the Commission will continue to monitor the process of investigation and prosecution of the errant policeman in Ajah Lagos State who killed a female lawyer, Barrister Bolanle Raheem.

The statement comes less than 24 hours after the Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, quoted the Lagos state police Command confirming “that the suspected murderer of our member is one ASP Drambi Vandi’, an officer, who has been in the police service for 33 years!”

In the statement signed by the NBA spokesperson, Akorede Habeeb Lawal on Monday, the association further called on the police authorities to officially disclose and immediately release to Nigerians the fuller details of the errant officer and other officers responsible for such heinous acts so they can be sued in court.

The NBA told the Nigeria Police Force on Monday to allow it and the deceased’s family to be the complainants in court when the accused police is eventually taken to court by relevant authorities.

Reacting on Tuesday, the NHRC ES, Ojukwu vowed to ensure that justice is adequately served, adding the incident is regrettable and falls short of standard operating procedure and professional ethics of the Nigerian Police Force.

Ojukwu, in a statement made available to THE WHISTLER by Fatimah Agwai Mohammed, NHRC
Deputy Director Corporate Affairs and External Linkages, said that despite training police officers on human rights best practices around the country, “yet we are still recording sad incidents of extra-judicial killings perpetrated by the police officers.”

Ojukwu commended the police command for immediately arresting and detaining the suspect following widespread outrage.

The statement partly reads, ” He called in the hierarchy of the Nigerian Police to as a matter of necessity always ensure that officers who bear arms must, by all means be mentally balanced and respect the rules of engagement of the police force saying enough is enough of these avoidable deaths.

“The Learned Senior Advocate of Nigeria used this opportunity to commiserate with the family of Barrister Bolanle Raheem, as well as the Nigerian Bar Association.

“He regretted that Barrister Raheem’s death came as a shock to the Commission, adding that there must be a permanent solution to check this form of avoidable killings by the police.

“The Human Rights Czar said it is unfortunate to know that the Commission has recorded several incidents of extrajudicial killings by the police and vowed to do all that is within its powers to ensure that these cases are not swept under the carpet.”