Posted by By Olaide Adekunle on
Residents of Morogbo, in Badagry, Lagos, have condemned the police for the indiscriminate arrest of innocent people after the murder of a customs official in the area, last Tuesday.
Residents of Morogbo, in Badagry, Lagos, have condemned the police for the indiscriminate arrest of innocent people after the murder of a customs official in the area, last Tuesday.
The killing which threw the whole community into panic occurred during a shoot-out between the customs officials and smugglers who ran into the community during a hot chase. Some residents of Morogbo, who spoke with P.M.News, said over 50 people were arrested in connection with the incident.
A resident, Mr. S.A. Ajibola, said the smugglers left the community almost immediately and abandoned their vehicle and goods.
'Policemen and customs officials later came to the area and started attacking people indiscriminately. Those smugglers couldn't have stayed in the area having killed an officer. The police came the following day to arrest innocent souls who knew nothing about the incident,' he lamented.
Ajibola also explained that some of the arrested people were returning from their work places, while others were arrested in their shops and houses. 'Can you imagine people being arrested in their shops and many with tie and suit?' he asked.
One of those arrested, but who was later released, Mr. Ajani, Dean, School of Languages, Adeniran Ogunsaya College of Education, narrated his own side of the story.
'It was like a dream because I was coming back from the office when I saw the whole area deserted. I was wondering what was happpening when more than 10 policemen descended on me and beat me up as if I was a thief,' he explained.
Ajani said he fainted and when he woke up, he discovered that he was being whisked away in a bus. 'Thank God, I saw a senior officer who listened to me and ordered that I should be released,' he said.
An elder in the community, Chief Ajisafe Okanla, said the community did not deserve the treatment meted on them. 'There is nothing wrong in police arresting suspects, but arresting innocent people is wrong and condemnable,' he said.
P.M.News gathered, at the Morogbo Divisional Police Station, that some of those arrested had been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Panti, Yaba.