Posted by By GABRIEL DIKE, Osogbo on
Following a petition from his family and public outcry over his death,in the custody of the Special Anti Robbery Squad (SARS), Osogbo, Osun State, the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mr. Mike Okiro has directed investigations into the alleged extra judicial killing of a student journalist and a vigilante member, the late Ladi Agboola .
• Okiro orders probe into student journalist death
Following a petition from his family and public outcry over his death,in the custody of the Special Anti Robbery Squad (SARS), Osogbo, Osun State, the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mr. Mike Okiro has directed investigations into the alleged extra judicial killing of a student journalist and a vigilante member, the late Ladi Agboola .
Agboola, who is also a registered vigilante personnel with the Osun State Police Command was allegedly killed by SARS operatives who claimed he attempted to escape after his arrest and detention on April 29, 2008 on a suspicion of being a robber while operating his Okada business.
The family through a lawyer, Mr. Abdulrasak Adeoye,had petitioned the IGP to order full scale investigations into the killing, sanction any SARS personnel indicted, while demanding N500million as compensation. They also demanded public apology and release of his corpse for burial.
Okiro acknowledged receipt of the petition from the Agboola's lawyer , disclosing that he had directed the Deputy Inspector General (Investigations) to look into the petition.
His words: 'When I received the petition alleging extra judicial killing, I looked into the petition. I have directed DIG (investigations) to look into the petition from Osun State on the alleged killing of the victim'.
Following the take over of the case by the IGP, a member of the family of the victim was invited to Abuja to provide further information on the alleged extra judicial killing of Agboola .
A member of the aggrieved family told Daily Sun that he was in Abuja on Thursday on the invitation of those saddled by the IGP to look into their petition but did not give further details of his mission to the Louis Edet House.
Three months after the alleged killing, the lawyer, Mr. Adeoye said police had not shown his corpse to members of the family, adding that they suspected an autopsy had been carried out without the knowledge of the family.
According to him, efforts of the family to see the corpse had been thwarted by the anti-robbery outfit.
The parents and relations ALLEGED that there were moves to cover the killing of their son .
Pa Agboola told Daily Sun that all the family wanted from the police authority is for the culprit to be prosecuted to serve as a lesson to others.
The family have also expressed fear of being targeted by SARS operatives because of their demand for justice.