The 81 Division of the Nigerian Army has assured the general public that the beating of a police officer to death by soldiers will not be swept under the carpet, as anyone of them found culpable will be made to face full disciplinary action.
Soldiers numbering over 30 from Ojo Military Cantonment in Lagos State on Wednesday, August 3, 2022, beat a police officer, identified as Inspector Monday Orube, to death over being stopped on their lane to allow passage of vehicles on another lane.
The acting Deputy Director, Army Public Relations, 81 Division, Major Olaniyi Osoba, gave the assurance in a statement on Friday, August 5.
He said: “The attention of the 81 Division Nigerian Army has been drawn to a story online over the unfortunate incident that occurred between some soldiers and policemen around Ojo in Lagos
resulting in the loss of the life of a police officer.
“The Division is already in touch with the Lagos State Police Command to resolve the matter. This incident is highly regrettable, given the Division’s disposition and zero tolerance for any misconduct.
“Accordingly, the Division has instituted a Board of Inquiry to unravel the circumstance surrounding the unfortunate incident. At the end of the investigation, anyone found culpable will be made to face the full wrath of the disciplinary provisions.
“Consequently, the Division wishes to commiserate with the Ojo Police Division and members of the family of the victim.”
In the incident on Wednesday, Thenewsbearer learnt that the three police officers on duty stopped vehicles plying a lane in order to give to those on another lane as it is normally done, unknown to them that a Coastal bus conveying the soldiers was on the stopped lane.
Infuriated, the soldiers decided to flout the directive of the police officers by veering off the lane to drive against traffic, leading to an argument.
They were said to have descended on the officers, pummelling them.
The soldiers were said to have forcefully taken two of the police officers to their barracks and continued the beating while the third officer managed to escape.
The source further said when the soldiers noticed that the abducted officers became unconscious, they decided to take them to their hospital at the cantonment.
However, one of them, Inspector Orube, died on Thursday afternoon.
Another version of the story had it that the soldiers were going to their cantonment in the coastal bus when they were stopped by the officers controlling the traffic.
This was said to have got them angry that they could be stopped while civilians were allowed to pass ahead of them.
Also taken away by the soldiers were two AK-47 rifles with over 79 rounds of ammunition belonging to the police officers, and were said to still be in their custody since the day of the incident.
In a tweet, the police spokesman in Lagos State Police Command, SP Benjamin Hundeyin, who confirmed the incident, said: “We are working with the @HQNigerianArmy authorities to resolve this issue, and get back our officer, arms and ammunition still with them. RIP to our fallen hero. You absolutely did not have to die.”
