Bribe-taking policemen shoot at couple, kill wife

Motorcycle drivers on Thursday shut down the Ijegun Road in the Alimosho area of Lagos State, after a woman, Idongesit Ekpo, and her husband, Godwin, were shot by a team of policemen attached to the Isheri Osun Police Division.

While Idongesit died on the spot, Godwin was said to be in a critical condition at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, Ikeja, where he was taken for treatment.

Punch learnt that the couple was returning from a church programme on Wednesday in a tricycle belonging to the family.

Punch were told that Godwin met a police checkpoint at Obalagbe bus stop, where some other tricycle drivers were being reportedly extorted by an eight-man police team.

He was said to have been flagged down by one of the policemen, but as he sped past, one of the officers shattered his windscreen with a baton.

A police corporal, identified as Aremu Musesiu, was said to have opened fire on the tricycle.

It was learnt that the bullet pierced through the tricycle back side and hit Idongesit, who was breastfeeding a three-month-old baby.

Her husband, Godwin, who looked back when the shot was fired, was said to have also been hit in the neck.

The policemen were said to have hurriedly taken money from the tricycle drivers they had earlier detained, before fleeing the scene.

Tricycle drivers in the community trooped out on Thursday to protest the death and demanded justice for the victims.

The protesters held placards, some of which read, ‘Isheri Police, your generation will suffer,’ ‘Stop killing us,’ among others.

The Commissioner of Police, Fatai Owoseni, who confirmed the incident, said Aremu had been arrested and detained.

He added that the DPO of Isheri Osun had also been issued a query for disobeying the Inspector General of Police’s instruction.

He said, “The police are doing all in our capacity to ensure that the deceased’s children are taken care of. The police corporal involved has been taken into custody. When we complete all necessary disciplinary action, he will be charged to court for murder.

“The team leader and the DPO of Isheri Osun division have also been issued queries for disobeying the IG with regards to policemen performing duties out of uniform, and without a properly-labelled police van.”

 - Punch