SARS Brutality Allegedly Claims One Life

Police mediate in another case

Barely hours after the Lagos State Police Command initiated an investigation into the harassment and extortion of one Emmanuel James by operatives of the Special Anti Robbery Squad (SARS), another victim was yesterday feared dead in another incident.

While James was arrested and harassed last Monday at the Okota area, the other victim, whose identity is yet to be known, was brutally beaten up by SARS operatives at Ogba.

According to reports, the operatives had accosted him at Haruna Bus stop in Ogba and requested to have his phone searched but he refused, which resulted to them brutalising him.

As was captured in a video by some bystanders, the victim was seen being brutalised after he refused to release his phone.

After they had tied him up and beaten him, he was left in his pool of blood, convulsing until some persons decided to rush him to the hospital, where he reportedly died.

Meanwhile, the police command had earlier issued a statement declaring the police team responsible for James’ predicament to be on illegal duty.

According to the state Police Public Relations Officer, Chike Oti, James’ cousin, Ekene Okoro had reported that his cousin was being harassed by policemen alleged to be SARS operatives at Ago-Palace way, Okota.

He said sequel to the information, a team of policemen from the Command X-Squad (the disciplinary unit of the police, section, led by Musa Shuaibu, was dispatched to intervene in the matter.

He said: “However, on sighting the X-Squad personnel, the erring police officers hurriedly left the scene in a manner suggestive that they were on illegal duty.

“Going forward, the CP Lagos, Edgal Imohimi directed the officer in charge of the X-Squad section to fish out the policemen within two hours and that directive has been actualised with the identification of the policemen involved.

“They were led in that inglorious duty by one Inspector Jude Akhoyemta attached to FSARS Ikeja.

“The public is hereby informed that the CP has ordered for their arrest and as soon as that is done, the public would be communicated as usual.”