SARS Officers Killed My Son In Hotel Room, Stole His N4m, Father Tells Osun Panel

The Osun State Judicial Panel of Enquiry set up to look into police brutality, human rights violations and extrajudicial killings started its sitting in Osogbo on Thursday.

The Chairman of the Panel, Justice Akin Oladimeji, in his inaugural speech urged petitioners to be honest in the cases they would bring before the panel.

He announced that the panel had received five petitions, saying the panel could only work on facts.

One of the petitioners, Mr Rasheed Ayinla, whose son was allegedly killed by two officers of defunct SARS and the owner of the hotel where the man was killed, Alhaji Ayo Adigun, were called by the panel on Thursday.

The petitioner said his son, Ismaila, was killed in a hotel, Ile Labo Sinmi Oko Guest House along Iwo-Ibadan Expressway, Iwo on August 18, 2020.

He said the policemen murdered his son in his hotel room around 2am and stole the N4m on him.

“The deceased, Ismaila Rasheed, left Ore, Ondo State, on 17th day of July 2020, to buy rams for Eid Fitri Celebrations. He got to Iwo and lodged at Ile Labo Sinmi Oko Guest House before he proceeded to north where he wants to purchase the rams.

“To beef up security along Iwo/Ibadan Expressway, two Police Officers, from
Special Anti-Robbery Squad had been accommodated in the guest house by the owner, Alhaji Ayo Dauda Adigun, on the consent of the Divisional Police Officer. The two officers, identified as Odua and Are had stayed in the guest house free of charge for about seven months
before the incident happened.

“At about 3:30am, one of the officers of the SARS in the guest house called the Manager, Afeez Tella Adio, that they had shot dead one of the thieves that invaded the guest
house.

“The manager rushed to the room and found Ismaila Rasheed in the pool of his blood and was gasping for breath saying “Omo Ole, o ti
pa mi”- (thieves, you have killed me).

“The two SARS officers in the Guest House, shot dead the deceased, Ismaila Rasheed and carted away a sum of N4 million meant for the purchase of rams as the friend of deceased, Isiaka whom the slain victim called on phone before he was killed, also testified to it.”

The bereaved father asked for N4m compensation to be given to his late son’s wives.

The hoteliers demanded N6m compensation saying guests refused to continue to patronise the hotel followng the killing.

The petitioner sought for N6 million as damages from Osun State Government and Federal Government of Nigeria for the abandonment of business activities from the teeming customers and the father demanded N4 million to cater for the two wives and children of the deceased.