A sergeant, Lukmon Akanbi, has been dismissed from the Nigeria Police Force for shooting a civilian, Babatunde Adeniji, to death around the Eko Atlantic, in the Victoria Island area of Lagos State.

Adeniji was on his way back from a Wizkid event around 4.20pm on Friday, December 27, 2019, when the sergeant reportedly accosted him.

Afterwards, a fracas ensued between them and Akanbi shot him, but in a bid to rescue the 39-year-old, good Samaritans reportedly rushed him to the Naval Dockyard Hospital where he was confirmed dead.

Reacting to the development, the state Police Public Realtions Officer, Bala Elkana, said in a statement on Friday, that state Commissioner of Police, Hakeem Odumosu, had ordered the arrest of Akanbi and subjected him to orderly room trial.

Elkana said,

“The Commissioner of Police Lagos State, Hakeem Odumosu, has ordered the arrest of Sergeant Lukmon Akanbi, F/No 448407, attached to the Victoria Island Police Station over the shooting of one Ramon Adeniyi, 39, of campus area Lagos Island. The incident happened on Friday, December 27, 2019, around 4.20pm around Eko Atlantic Victoria Island, Lagos.

“There was a fracas between the Police Officer who was on patrol at the area and the victim who was returning from an event. The Police Officer was said to have pulled the trigger of his pistol on the unarmed civilian, which fall short of professional standards on the use of Firearms.

“The victim was rushed to the Naval Dockyard Hospital and was confirmed dead by the doctor on duty. The Police Sergeant was arrested and detained at the Provost Department, Command Headquarters, Ikeja. He was subjected to internal disciplinary proceedings known as Orderly Room Trials.”

During the trial, Elkana said Akanbi was found guilty of all the charges and dismissed from the Nigeria Police Force, adding that Akanbi had been handed over to the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department, Yaba, for prosecution in a conventional court.

The PPRO said,

“He was arraigned before the adjudicating Officer on three counts charge of discreditable conduct contrary to paragraph E (3) first schedule, unlawful and unnecessary exercise of authority contrary to paragraph Q (2), and damage to articles contrary to paragraph D (1), police act and regulations, cap 370 LFN 1990.

“The sergeant was found guilty of all the charges and awarded punishment of dismissal from the Nigeria Police. He is handed over to the State Criminal Investigation Department, Yaba for prosecution in conventional Court. The Command condemned the unprofessional conduct of the dismissed Sergeant. The Commissioner of Police condoles with family and friends of the deceased person and assured them that Justice will prevail.

“Supervisory officers of erring policemen will henceforth be held vicariously liable for the misconduct of their men. This is part of the measures put in place by the commissioner of police to curb incidents of professional misconduct and engendered accountability in the system.”

Odumosu avowed that no case of professional misconduct, human rights violations and abuse of powers by police officers would be tolerated.