...as DPP frees suspects

Family members of a slain Mobile Police Sergeant, Edison Fulman 13 others persons allegedly killed at Etegbin in Ojo Local Government Area of Lagos State, by suspected hoodlums working for some land grabbers, over three years ago are still crying for justice.

The slain police officer, until his untimely death on February 14th,2020, was attached to the Zone Two Police Command Headquarters,Onikan Lagos.

The police officer, in company with others were said to be on lawful duty when they were swooped upon by the suspected hoodlums numbering over 200.

Sergeant Fulman was among the policemen deployed to protect a landed property belonging to a real estate firm owned by one Chief Moruf Owonla ,who had bought some hectares of land from one Adeoku Family.

Before the bloody attack, a team of 17 policemen were said to have been drafted from the Zone 2 Police Headquarters, Lagos "to maintain law and order at the site of the property while the court sheriffs executed the warrant of possession on February 11, 2022."

Three days after the court judgement, hoodlums who were protesting the outcome of the court judgment attacked the police team almost immediately after the Commander of the Lagos State Special Task Force on the Environment, Shola Jejeloye, a Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP), who had visited Etegbin following a false distress alarm that some land grabbers had stormed the community, left the scene.

CSP Jejeloye and his team had left the community upon realising that some policemen from Zone 2 headquarters had been officially deployed to maintain law and order in the town.

But the murderous gang of hoodlums killed Sergeant Fulman in the process while also injuring others as they also allegedly abducted and killed 13 other persons.

The suspected hoodlums, it was learnt, had a field day causing mayhem in the area. The slain Mobile Police Sergeant, Edison Fulman, with Force number 500314 was not among the lucky ones that escaped the scene, as he was mowed down by his attackers who overpowered him.

"The Police Sergeant displayed bravery and gallantry during the unprovoked attack. It was very unfortunate that his attackers finally overpowered him as he put up a fight to repel them . He was disarmed and shot dead at a close range," one of his family members, who had a chat with our Correspondent on condition of anonymity, said.

Explaining further, the family member said Fulman was stabbed with broken bottles in an apparent move to ensure that he didn't survive the raw ordeal.

Recall that protracted legal tussle had earlier ensued between Adeoku Family and another family over the ownership of the hectares of land in the community.

The matter was heard by Justice O.H. Oshodi of the Lagos High Court sitting in Ikeja, who delivered judgment in favour of the Adeoku Family in 2013.

"Following the judgment, a possession order was given by Justice Oshodi on February 11, 2021, and a certificate of warrant of possession otherwise called Form ‘O’ was issued to the victorious family to take possession of the said property.

The victims' family members have been hoping that justice would be served at the end of the matter, just as the elder brother to the slain policeman, Fanny Fulman, could not control his emotions, lamenting how another sibling of his who was a soldier was killed in cold blood by bandits in Zamfara State and which he was still mourning when the killing of his younger brother, Sergeant Fulman occurred.

According to him, "After killing Fulman and injuring his colleagues, the hoodlums had encircled the operational site of the real estate developing firm and attacked the workers at the site. About six workers were abducted while others fled in different directions.

"Still, the hoodlums embarked on a house-to-house search for the fleeing workers and smoked no fewer than six of them out, bringing the number of workers abducted to 12."

The abducted workers identified as Ganiyu Ogunbakinde; Olamide; Omoakin; Jamiu Adegoke; Azeez; Oloye; Akeem; Taiwo; Dayo, Wasiu, Olamide Akinromola; Jamiu Adegoke, and Emmanuel, were said to have been marched to a remote location in the riverine town, where they were all allegedly killed by the hoodlums. Their bodies were later found floating on the Lagoon around the community.

Expectedly, the police launched an investigation and the suspects were arrested. Police investigators said the arrested suspects were found to be the masterminds of the tragic killing of Sergeant Fulman and the 13 workers they abducted during the incident, insisting that the suspects must be prosecuted.

"The police report explained further that the abducted persons were allegedly killed and their bodies were thrown into the Etegbin Lagoon. The police investigation report also revealed that a mob prevented detectives and personnel of the Force Marine Police Unit from carrying out a search on the Lagoon with a view to recovering the bodies..."

Based on the above findings, it was recommended that "Sabitu Anafiu alias Major; Sarafadeen Saka; Festus Onifade; Moses Adeola; Sakiru Lamidi; Moshood Ayepe, Lateef Oluwaseyi; Omoowo Rafiu; Omoowo Gafar; Onyeka Ibekwe and Jimoh Seliu be charged to court for conspiracy, murder of Sgt Edison Fulman; arson and unlawful possession of weapons.”

But in a prepared Legal Advice to the court, the state DPP said that the suspects had no case to answer and should be immediately set free.

The certified true copy of the legal notice dated October 20, 2022, reads: “After carefully considering the facts available in the duplicate case file, this office is of the considered view that there are insufficient facts to establish the prima facie offence of conspiracy to commit murder, murder, arson, criminal damage to property or breach of peace against the suspects: B1-Sabitu Anafiiu; B2-Sarafadeen Saka; B3-Festus Onifade; B4-Moses Adeola; B5-Sakiru Lamidi; B6-Moshood Ayepe; B7-Lateef Oluwaseyi; B9- Seliu Jimoh; B10-Segun Anifowoshe; B11-Uchenna Okoye; B12-Onyeka Ibekwe; B13-Augustine Olikagu; B14-Omoowo Rafiu; B15-Omoowo Gafar and B16-Michael Ebhaleme.

“In view of the foregoing, this Office is of the view that the suspects had no case to answer. Consequently, Pages B1-Sabitu Anafiiu; B2-Sarafadeen Saka; B3-Festus Onifade; B4-Moses Adeola; B5-Sakiru Lamidi; B6-Moshood Ayepe; B7-Lateef Oluwaseyi; Page B9- Seliu Jimoh; B10-Segun Anifowoshe; B11-Uchenna Okoye; B12-Onyeka Ibekwe; B13-Augustine Olikagu; B14-Omoowo Rafiu; B15-Omoowo Gafar and B16-Michael Ebhaleme are discharged and are to be released immediately, if still in custody. Also, Page A19 (CSP Shola Jejeloye, has no case to answer."

The families of the victims, however, expressed shock over the legal advice from the office of the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP), which they described as the travesty of justice.

“But in a prepared Legal Advice to the court, the state DPP said that the suspects had no case to answer and should be immediately set free.”

Just like that. What the explanation for the sudden turnaround of the judicial process?