An officer of the Lagos State Transport Management Authority (LASTMA) named Adeyemo Rotimi was in the evening of Wednesday, 28th November, 2018, gunned down on duty by a police inspector attached to the FSARS in Ikeja, Lagos.
Eyewitnesses said that the victim who is popularly known as ‘Baba Ibeji’ had stopped the police inspector who was driving a cream coloured Highlander jeep with registration number plate LSR 277 BJ so he could free the traffic from other routes but the policeman reportedly shunned his directive and zoomed through the traffic in anger. His action reportedly shocked the LASTMA officer who reportedly scolded him.
According to sources, the policeman who felt insulted by Adeyemo’s warning allegedly pulled a pistol and shot Adeyemo in the eye. He reportedly died on the spot.
Sources said that when the police officer realized what had happened, he made an attempt to flee by lunging his car through the gathering crowd but was stopped by the mob before causing more damages.
However, policemen from Moshalashi division reportedly rescued the FSARS officer whose name was given as Prince Oki Joseph from the angry crowd.
When this reporter visited Moshalashi police station for an update, a policewoman who didn’t want her name in print confirmed that the FSARS officer was brought to the station but has since been moved to ‘Aguda’.
The LASTMA head of operations in Iyana Ipaja, Mr Dipeolu Folagbade, under whose supervision Adeyemo was posted before his death, confirmed the incident to this reporter. He, however, was hopeful that the authorities would handle the case appropriately.
Sources said that when the policeman’s car was searched for identification, various types of guns were recovered including fake 1,000 naira notes, ATM card, church ID card, business ID card and FSARS documents.
As at the time of writing this report, the situation in Iyana Ipaja was tense, as angry traders and members of the transport workers union, NURTW, who knew the victim and felt the police would not do justice to the case since it involved their colleague, were spoiling for showdown.
