Justice Elusive Months After Police Kill Motorcyclist In Southwest Nigeria

Five months after Saheed Olabomi, a 31-year-old motorcyclist was shot dead by a Police Sergeant in Osogbo, Osun State, Southwest Nigeria, justice has remained elusive, his family has cried out.

Olabomi’s family members told HumAngle the Police Officer who pulled the trigger was escorting an important personality (not named) when the incident occurred on Tuesday, Jul. 27, 2021.

“The police office was trying to disperse people during a traffic jam when the incident occurred around Islaudeen Grammar School, in Osogbo. He shot at my brother and since then, nothing has been done,” his sister Folashade narrated. 

After the gunshot, Olabomi was rushed to the  Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of Osun State University Teaching Hospital, Osogbo but died two days later.

Olabomi’s inability to further his education after a diploma from Federal Polytechnic Offa, Kwara State forced him into commercial motorcycling known popularly among locals as okada to feed his wife and two children, according to his sister. 

But Folashade said the police authorities have not visited the deceased family five months after the incident.

“Aside from the fact that they did not show up when my brother was shot and taken to the hospital, they also did not visit us when he died. This, for us, is the height of injustice,” she said.

When contacted for an update on the matter and whether investigation has been conducted, Yemisi Opalola, Osun State Police Spokesperson, said the police officer involved has faced a room trial. 

“We have long conducted a room trial for the officer but we are waiting for directives from Abuja on the next step to take,” Opalola told HumAngle.

The Police spokesperson did not disclose the outcome of the room trial and did not respond to further enquiries. 

Nigeria Police operatives have come under criticism for extra-judicial killings and other human rights violations.

Abass Oyeyemi, a human rights lawyer, told HumAngle that “the action by the Police Sergeant was an aberration under the Nigerian constitutional jurisprudence”. 

“Section 33 of Nigeria’s 1999 Constitution guarantees the right to life of every human. Justice must be served if we must end impunity,” Oyeyemi said.