Four police officers have been arrested for killing two suspected phone thieves.
The policemen, attached to Iba Division Patrol team, were seen to have shot at the suspects in a video which went viral on Tuesday.
In a statement issued on Wednesday by the Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Bala Elkana, the officers were identified as Inspector Fabiyi Omomayara, Sergeant Olaniyi Solomon, Sergeant Solomon Sunday and Corporal Aliyu Mukaila.
According to the statement, the two robbery suspects had already been arrested and should have been taken to the Police Station for the normal process of investigation and prosecution to be initiated as stipulated under procedural laws.
Elkana said at about 3:00 pm on August 19, the Iba Police Station had received a distress call from one Anugu Valentine, that he was attacked by a group of armed men numbering about four on two motorcycles at Ipayi area, and they stole an iPhone max from him, valued at N450,000.
Shortly after, the Divisional Police Officer, Iba promptly deployed the Divisional Patrol team to the scene.
Subsequently, two of the armed robbers were arrested while the other two escaped. they were said to be part of a gang notorious for series of robberies in Iba and environs.
Two locally made pistols with six life cartridges and five expended cartridges were also recovered.
While the police celebrated the arrest of the two suspects, it, however, condemned their killing saying it “falls short of police professional standards and cannot be condoned by the Command”.
“The Commissioner of Police Lagos State, CP Zubairu Muazu mni has ordered a thorough investigation into the incident.
“The police officers are currently subjected to internal disciplinary proceedings known as Orderly Room trial and if found culpable, they will be dismissed from the Force and will be handed over to the State Criminal Investigation Department Yaba for prosecution in the conventional Court,” the statement read.
