A human rights organization, Crime Victims Foundation of Nigeria (CRIVIFON) has condemned the killing of a football fan, Kolade Johnson by two officers of the anti- cultism unit of the Lagos Police Command.

The foundation, in a statement issued in Lagos Thursday also condemned what it described as “careless use of rifles” by the two policemen involved.

The spokesman of the Lagos Police Command, Bala Elkana, a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), had in a statement on Tuesday named the suspected officers as Inspector Ogunyemi Olalekan and Sergeant Godwin Orji.

In the statement issued by its Executive Director, Mrs. Gloria Egbuji, the group said it was pained that the two policemen involved in the killing were once beneficiaries of the police human rights training facilitated by the foundation.

It regretted that they threw away every knowledge they have acquired during the training programme.

Read Also: Police reveal cop-killers of Kolade Johnson

“No Nigerian or even a foreigner in our midst should be deprived of his or her life in such an uncivilized manner as displayed by the Anti-Cultism Team involved in the dastardly act,” it said.

The foundation also expressed dismay over the attitude of some policemen at a time the federal government is seriously giving attention to the restructuring of the Police Force for efficient performance and especially with respect to the issue of human rights violation.

According to Egbuji: “As facilitators of the police human rights training which began in 2006 at the Lagos Police Command, CRIVIFON would want every police man who undergoes the training to bring the knowledge acquired to bear on his job.

“They should not see the training merely as an opportunity to acquire certificate but knowledge needed to improve their service delivery.

“They should also see the training as opportunity to reform their character traits with respect to how they used to perceive people’s fundamental human rights before undergoing the human rights training.”

She however remarked that the foundation is encouraged by the fact that President Muhammadu Buhari and the police management in their reactions to the unwarranted killing of Kolade Johnson have emphasized the administration’s on-going effort to over haul the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) and other such units particularly through regular training of personnel to avoid the continuous violation of people’s constitutional and fundamental rights.

She also acknowledged the swift action taken by the Lagos CP, Muazu Zubairo to immediately unravel what happened and the assurance to deal with the situation in accordance with the law by prosecuting the suspects

“As partners in the human rights training, CRIVIFON commended President Buhari for showing interest in reforming the police and also, appreciated authorities of the Nigeria Police Force for creating the enabling environment for such training of their officers and men to take place particularly with the renewed vigor of the present Inspector General of Police, Muhammed Adamu to ensure that officers and men of SARS and other units are regularly trained,” she added.