WACOL Condemns Omobolanle Raheem’s Christmas killing

Women Aid Collective (WACOL), has condemned in strong terms the killing of Mrs. Omobolanle Raheem, a pregnant mother, and lawyer by a trigger-happy Assistant Superintendent of Police, Drambi Vandi, who is attached to Ajiwe Police Station, Ajah, Lagos State.

This unfortunate incident is coming barely two years after the END SARS saga that brought to light the despicable acts and atrocities of some members of the Nigerian Police Force who have turned from protecting the lives of the citizenry to taking the same arbitrarily, and barely after a week Gafaru Buraimoh, a resident of Happy Land Estate in Ajah was killed by a stray bullet from a trigger happy inspector attached to the same division of the Nigeria Police force.

According to WACOL, Section 33(1) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (CFRN), 1999, provides that “every person has a right to life, and no one shall be deprived intentionally of his life, save in execution of the sentence of a court in respect of a criminal offense of which he has been found guilty in Nigeria”.

WACOL says the killing the noble provision of the 1999 Constitution as amended has been abused time and time again, and this is the time to take action.

The killing of Omobolanle Raheem according to WACOL must not be swept under the carpet like the rest. The right to life of a Nigerian citizen must not be left in the hands of the police or any other individual who feels that his neighbor is unfit to live unless we are breeding a chaotic society which would in turn haunt all of us.

The NGS asks “How can we possibly explain that a trained policeman pulled the trigger at a vehicle with unarmed women and children on Christmas day? This is inhumane, wicked, absurd, ridiculous, and barbaric. It is a crime against humanity, and we must hold someone to account.

To this end, WACOL lends its voice to call on the Nigerian Government, the Nigerian Bar Association, the Nigerian police force, and the Judiciary to as a matter of urgency,

1. Thoroughly investigate, determine responsibility, and bring to justice ASP Drambi Vandi and all his accomplices. This would act as a deterrent to all those who might think that the law is silent in the face of crime.

2. Train and Re-train the members of the police force in the rules of engagement and the standard operating procedures (S.O.P) to avoid a repeat of such crimes.

3. Ensure that each member of the Nigerian police force receives proper medical and psychiatric attention before being posted to their various stations

4. Uphold the right to life of every citizen by giving expeditious Justice on issues of this nature.

WACOL Condemns any form of extra Judicial killings and police brutality and calls on the Nigerian Government to address this Monster.