Published 24th Apr, 2024

By Daniel Ojukwu

Several sources have accused a policeman attached to Owode Police Station in the Ogbomosho area of Oyo State, Nigeria, of killing two brothers on Monday evening.

The officer, identified as Saheed Rasheed, fatally shot a young man who was at Reeplay Club in Ogbomosho to celebrate his brother’s graduation from Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH), eyewitnesses told FIJ.

They said people had gathered at the club to celebrate when a fight broke out. Saheed and other policemen arrived at the scene to restore sanity but he began shooting sporadically. One of Saheed’s shots hit the young man’s head and caused instant death.

“Saheed realised he had killed someone and tried to get away,” a source told FIJ. “Then the brother of the slain boy walked up to him, but Saheed shot him, too. This boy just had his convocation earlier, but Saheed killed him, too. Two brothers of the same mother were killed just like that.”

Graphic videos and pictures of the scene have been circulating on the internet since the incident.

The sources claimed it was not the first time the policeman would be trigger-happy, as he had boasted in the past of being able to kill anyone without repercussions.

On Tuesday morning, several students gathered at the Owode Police Station to protest and demand justice, but Saheed was nowhere to be found.

Sources told FIJ they believed he had fled the neighbourhood and was enjoying some sort of protection until the matter faded.

On Wednesday morning, FIJ called Adewale Osifeso, spokesman for the Oyo State Police Command, but he was unavailable to speak on the phone. However, he replied our text message, saying, “Investigation is ongoing. Updates will be communicated accordingly, please.”

FIJ also called Saheed but he didn’t answer our calls.

Ojukwu is a reporter with FIJ in partnership with Report for the World, which matches local newsrooms with talented emerging journalists to report on under-covered issues around the globe.

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