President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Yakubu Maikyau yesterday condemned the cold-blooded murder of one of its members, Mrs Omobolanle Raheem, by an officer of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) attached to Ajiwe Police Station in Ajah, Lagos State.
Maikyau, who described the incident as unfortunate and dastardly, said the NBA is committed to justice in the matter.
The NBA president, who stated this in a press statement he issued in Abuja, maintained that the association would not only get to the root of the incident but would uproot it and take steps to deal with anyone found culpable in every lawful way.
“We will ensure that this does not happen to any citizen anymore,” he said.
Maikyau disclosed that since the incident occurred, the NBA had taken the initiative to uncover the facts surrounding the murder of our member.
“The NBA president has engaged the police authorities including the assistant inspector-general of police (AIG), Zone 2 (Mr Bode Adeyinka Adeleke) as well as the commissioner of police, Lagos State (Mr Abiodun Alabi). In this regard, the NBA can report that the Lagos State Police Command has confirmed that the suspected murderer of our member is one ASP Drambi Vandi, an officer, who has been in the police service for 33 years.
“While the NBA acknowledges the sympathy and regret of the police authorities over this incident, the NBA president has unequivocally demanded that the Nigeria Police officially disclose and immediately release to Nigerians the fuller details of the errant officer and other officers responsible for this heinous act.
“The NBA president has informed the police of the resolve of the NBA to be a complainant in this case along with the family of late Mrs Omobolanle Raheem. The NBA president has in this regard constituted a team comprising National Officers, the chairman and vice chairperson of the NBA Lagos Branch and the chairman of the NBA Ikeja Branch with a mandate to follow up and ensure a speedy but thorough investigation of this crime.
“The NBA team was at Ajiwe Police Station earlier this morning and the team also had a scheduled meeting with the Commissioner of Police, Lagos State at the Lagos State Police Command Headquarters this afternoon,” he said.
