Reps allege cover-up in Edo graduate’s killing
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The House of Representatives has urged the Inspector-General of Police, Usman Baba, to investigate the killing of a youth, Godsent Obhafuoso, by the bullet fired by a policeman in Uromi, Edo State, alleging cover-up in the extrajudicial killing.
While the House resolved to observe a minute of silence in honour of the deceased, the lawmakers urged the IGP to “investigate the killing of Mr Godsent Obhafuoso by a police stray bullet on August 13, 2022, at a social event at Uromi.”
The House also mandated its Committee on Police Affairs to ensure compliance with the resolutions and report back within four weeks for further legislative action.
The resolutions were based on a motion moved by a member of the House from Edo, Sergius Ogun, titled ‘Need to Investigate the Killing of Godsent Obhafuoso by Police Stray Bullet in Uromi Edo State,’ which the lawmakers unanimously adopted at the plenary on Thursday.
“The House is also informed that attempts to bring the erring police officer to justice failed due to complacency on the part of the police personnel at the Office of the Assistant Inspector General of Police, Zone 5, Edo State.”
The call by the House is coming about one month after the chamber demanded justice for a Lagos-based female lawyer, Omobolanle Raheem, who was shot and killed by an Assistant Superintendent of Police, Drambi Vandi, an officer attached to the Ajah Divisional Headquarters of the Lagos State Police Command.
On December 28, 2022, members of the House observed one minute silence in honour Raheem and Gafaru Braimoh who was the second person to have been killed by policemen in the same area within one month.
The lawmakers had demanded “an immediate investigation be carried out to get justice for these two victims,” while they resolved that “police officers should be banned from consuming alcohol and other hard substances that are capable of inhibiting their sense of reasoning and capability to carry out their duties judiciously”,the PUNCH Newspaper reports.
The House also declared that there should be a zero-tolerance policy to misconduct or misbehaviour in the Nigeria Police.
The resolutions were based on a motion of urgent public importance moved by the lawmaker representing Eti-Osa Federal Constituency in Lagos State, Babajide Obanikoro, titled ‘Urgent Need to Investigate the Killing of Mrs Bolanle Raheem,’ which the lawmakers unanimously adopted.
