26th August, 2018
The policeman suspected to have killed a student, Tunde Nafiu, in Iwo, Osun state, has been arrested, but after destruction had been done to police facilities by irate youths.
The Inspector General of Police (IGP) Ibrahim Idris had ordered the arrest and an immediate investigation into the killing.
The Osun State Commissioner of Police, Fimihan Adeoye, confirmed the arrest on Saturday during an assessment of the facilities at the police station set ablaze by some youths who protested the killing of the student.
He said one of the major duties of the police is to protect the right of the people and the IGP is not in support of human rights violation.
“The IGP does not in any way tolerate violation of human right. The job of police officers is to protect the right of the people. The IGP has directed that the necessary internal control mechanism of the force be activated to deal with the situation.
“The officer that is suspected to have committed the act has been arrested and is currently undergoing interrogation,” Adeoye said.
He added that anyone found guilty at the end of the investigation will be duly prosecuted.
The Iwo area command headquarters was on Friday set ablaze by some youths and students who were protesting the alleged murder of a student.
Nafiu was allegedly shot dead by a police officer attached to the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) on Thursday while returning from Oluponan town in the state.
The police station was set ablaze after the youths and some students stormed the police station, forcing police officers to flee and scamper for safety.
They also burnt tyres at some location in the town leaving residents in fear.
The commissioner of Police, however, decried the action of the youths, especially the destruction of properties at the police station.
He said that the situation does not justify taking laws into one’s hands.