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Dismiss, Prosecute Cop Who Killed Teenage Admission Seeker, Monsurat – TakeItBack Tells Nigerian Police

September 14, 2021

Ojuade was shot by an officer while returning home from her mother's shop alongside her sister.

The TakeItBack Movement has condemned the murder of Monsurat Ojuade, an 18-year-old admission seeker who was killed by a trigger-happy police officer, in Lagos State.

Ojuade was shot by an officer while returning home from her mother's shop alongside her sister.

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The police officer was said to have followed them and while trying to get into the compound forcefully, shot at the victim.

The police had claimed the incident was a result of a stray bullet but the deceased's family alleged the officer deliberately shot the victim.

The victim took the 2021 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) and was awaiting admission into the University before the unfortunate incident.

In a statement issued by Ridwan Ajayi, the Publicity Secretary of the TakeItBack Movement, Lagos Chapter on Tuesday, the group condemned the brutal killing of the young lady and called for justice.

The group also asked that the culprit be immediately dismissed from service, while also urging the force to ensure a quick prosecution of the act in line with the law.

The statement reads, “We in the TakeItBack Movement Lagos condemn in strict terms the extra-judicial killing of an 18-year-old admission seeker, Monsurat Ojuade, on September 11, 2021 by a trigger-happy policeman in Lagos State.

”We equally condemn the dead-on-arrival efforts of the Lagos police in an attempt to cover up the truth by releasing a misleading police report that was unrelated to the brutal event which led to the death of Monsurat Ojuade on September 11, 2021.

”Mosurat Ojuade, who was awaiting university admission having scored 236 marks in JAMB was killed by a trigger-happy policeman identified as one Samuel Phillips during their usual illegal and unlawful raid in the Surulere neighbourhood.

"Eyewitnesses confirmed that Monsurat Ojuade and her sister ran into their compound for safety, as the raider was ransacking the neighbourhood. But as their mother tried to hurriedly close the gate, the police officer shot into their gate at very close range.

”Monsurat Ojuade was first taken to a public hospital for treatment but she was rejected due to the ongoing strike. As she continued bleeding, her family took her to another hospital but unfortunately, she died at the third hospital after bleeding profusely from the bullet wound.

“We use this opportunity to remind the public of how the Lagos police brutally murdered Jumoke at the Yoruba Nation rally on the 3rd July 2021.

"The policeman who shot Jumoke is yet to be identified, dismissed or prosecuted; instead the Lagos police charged one of the Yoruba Nation agitators who is an Ogboni chief with the death of Jumoke just to cover up the unfortunate incident. There has been no #JusticeForJumoke after 73 days of her brutal murder.

“While we acknowledge the arrest and identification of the trigger-happy policeman as claimed by the Lagos CP, we call for his quick dismissal from service and also his quick prosecution according to the law.

“We also call for a permanent end to police brutality, human rights violations, extra-judicial killings, frequent victimisation and harassment of Lagosian by the police, as well as the unlawful policing by some members of the Nigerian Police Force.

“We put the public and Lagosians on alert over the rising cases of police brutality and killings that never stopped even after #EndSARS.

“We send our humble tribute and condolences to the family of Monsurat Ojuade and we pray that God grant them the fortitude to bear the irreparable loss.

“May her soul and the souls of faithful departed rest in peace. We want #JusticeForEji We want #JusticeForJumoke. We want #JusticeForMonsurat.”

 

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Police