The Lagos State Police Command says it has arrested a suspected cult member, Malik Onebiri, who allegedly killed a police sergeant while protesting against the death of his colleague.
Some youths on Oshunkeye Street in Ifako-Ijaiye had protested against the death of one Shina, aka Ishan, who was reportedly injured during a police raid on the street.
The youths were said to have taken the corpse to the Area G Police Command headquarters in Ogba and reportedly chartered a bus to Haruna bus stop on College Road, where they attacked a police team stationed at the junction.
It was reported that one of the policemen, who was identified as Collins Esiabor, was chased to Emmanuel Olorunfemi Street, where he was clubbed and shot dead.
The Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, CSP Chike Oti, in a statement on Monday said 19 suspects were initially arrested, adding that the leader of the group, Onebiri, was arrested in his hideout in Benue State.
He said, “After a mob comprising mainly of members of the notorious Eiye Confraternity attacked a police patrol team stationed at Haruna bus stop, vandalising a patrol car and killing one Sergeant Collins Esiabor in the process, the Commissioner of Police, Lagos State, CP Imohimi Edgal, vowed that the command would arrest those behind the dastardly act.
“The CP, while making the vow, said the leader of the group, one Malik Onebiri, alias Kobad Baron, who allegedly fired the shot that killed the officer, could only run but not hide.
“In keeping with the pledge, operatives of the command attached to Area ‘G’ Command, Ogba, swung into action and have so far arrested 19 persons who took part in the crime.
“Meanwhile, the arrowhead of the group, Malik Onebiri, left the state immediately after the attack on the police team.
“However, through discreet investigation carried out into the matter, police detectives arrested the said Malik Onebiri in his hideout in Gboko, Benue State.”
Oti said investigation showed that the cult members attacked the police team to avenge the death of one of their members, who got injured while fleeing when he saw some policemen on duty in the Ifako-Ijaiye area.
“He probably thought the police team came for him and took to his heels, fatally injuring himself in the process. It was also discovered that nobody reported the death of the boy, said to be a member of the Eiye confraternity, until his associates in the deadly cult attacked the police patrol team.
“The CP reiterates that the command will visit the full weight of the law on anybody or group that resorts to self-help or jungle justice in matters requiring the intervention of the law,” Oti added.
