Two Arrested For Killing Policeman

 

The X-squad unit of the Lagos State Police Command has arrested two men, Semiu Alaka and Sulaiman Olomi in connection with the murder of a police inspector, attached to the MOPOL 22 unit of the command.

Both men also faced charges of armed robbery and illegal possession of firearms.

Police sources told PUNCH Metro that Alaka and Olomi, were part of a

group of hoodlums allegedly being sponsored by a traditional ruler in Lagos.

The group were said to have attacked some policemen from MOPOL 22 in May 2013. The policemen were sent to maintain peace between warring parties at Mowola community after violent clashes had broken out over a land dispute.

Angered by the presence of the policemen, the suspected hoodlums numbering 32 were said to have ambushed the policemen.

Two AK-47 rifles, belonging to the policemen, were also allegedly stolen during the attack.

 A police inspector was allegedly killed in the process, while others were injured. The source said, “One of the injured policemen had his eye gouged out by the hoodlums with a matchete. The wounded policemen are still in the hospital recuperating from their wounds.”

Alaka in his defence, denied participating in the attack on the policemen.

Alaka, who claimed he was a member of the National Union of Road Transport Workers, said, “I was busy at my job when I was contacted to provide security for a piece of land.

“The next day, we went there, but some Odua Peoples Congress members also came to Mowola community. Although I was there when the OPC attacked the police; I didn’t take part in the violence.

“I went back home shortly after. A friend, Agali, brought a rifle to my house later that day and asked me to hide it. I saw that they were police rifles and refused. I told him to take it to Olomi who dug a hole and hid the gun. Although Agali had brought two police rifles, it was one he gave us for safekeeping.”

Lamenting his plight, Olomi told PUNCH Metro that he was lured into taking the security job because he was unemployed.

He said, “I am in this mess today because of unemployment. I went to Alaka to help me with a job so I could fend for my family. It was Alaka who got me the job I had before incident with the police took place.

It was also Alaka who told me that there was another security job. When I got there, I was shocked to see over 30 OPC members there.

“I didn’t take part in the attack; I was not there. It was after the whole thing that Agali called me to keep a gun for him.

“The gun was wrapped, so I buried it. I didn’t even know it was a police gun until I was arrested,” Olomi said.

The Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Ngozi Braide, said, “Both men were arrested with the servie pistol of the slain policeman. Investigation is on to know how they got the gun.”