Police arrest 10 over killing of Lekki coy MD

Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Fatai Owoseni, says 10 persons have been arrested in connection with yesterday’s killing of the Director, Lekki Worldwide Investment Company, Mr. Tajudeen Disu, by unknown persons.

“We have so far arrested 10 suspects and the arrests are of those directly responsible. We are still in the center of the operation”, he told newsmen in Lagos.

“We will do a diligent investigation. We will ensure that those behind it are arrested, not just the people we see on the road as perpetrators, there may be sponsors. We will go after these sponsors and I can assure you we will ensure that the investigation is carried out as speedily as possible to make sure they are diligently prosecuted”, he said.

Earlier, Governor Akinwunmi Ambode ordered an investigation into the killing.

Ambode told Government House correspondents at the Lagos House in Ikeja yesterday that Disu was shot during an official visit to one of the villages within the zone.

Some villagers alleged that they were attacked by armed policemen during a peaceful protest against a planned government takeover of their land.

Community leaders in the 16 villages that make up Ibeju-Lekki recently accused the management of the Lekki Free Trade Zone Ltd and Lekki Worldwide Investment Ltd of illegal trespass on their land without paying compensation.

Ambode described late Disu as a man who was committed to promoting the inflow of investment to Lagos State.

He urged residents of the area to remain calm as his administration would continue to ensure the security of lives and property.

“I want to appeal to all people of Ibeju Lekki that they should give peace a chance, it is in the interest of all Lagosians that we attract many investors to the state. That is what we have been doing and improving upon in the past four months. I implore everybody to be calm. We will get to the root of this incident”, he said.

In a petition issued on behalf of the village leaders by their lawyer, Barrister Paul Ogundele, the community accused Dangote Oil Refinery Company of using the police and army to abuse their fundamental rights. They alleged that the company was planning to use a section of the land to build a petrochemical plant and refinery without paying compensation.

The community had at several times threatened a showdown with the company and the state government unless they are compensated. At the time of this report, the military had been deployed to the area to restore calm.