Something good to come out of the ongoing fight between the police and the military

On August 14, 2019, Punch Newspaper, by Samson Folarin, reported a case of multiple murder committed by Nigerian soldiers. The story was ominously titled, “Beasts of No Nation: How four soldiers shot man, killed another in Ogun hospital” The story went as follows:

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The Ogun State Police Command has said soldiers from the 81 division were involved in the killing of some residents of Isheri Olofin, a boundary community between Lagos and Ogun States.

The police spokesperson, DSP Abimbola Oyeyemi, said statements from eyewitnesses revealed that the soldiers dragged a resident from the hospital where he was being treated and stabbed him to death with a bayonet.

Our correspondent had earlier reported that during the celebration of the Isheri Day Festival on Monday, a disagreement broke out among some residents.

In the ensuing fracas, some soldiers were reported to have shot dead three people at the party.

A statement by the Assistant Director, Army Public Relations, Major Clement Abiade, had denied military involvement in the killing, saying instead a soldier was injured.

But the Ogun State Police Command in its statement by Oyeyemi said at least four soldiers were involved in the killings.

He said, “The Commissioner of Police, Bashir Makama, has ordered a full-scale investigation into the “Isheri Day” shooting incident in Ogun State on August 13, 2019, by suspected soldiers believed to be from Ikeja Cantonment, with a view to bringing the suspects to justice.

Oyeyemi said the command had contacted the military authorities in Ogun State and efforts were on to bring the suspected killer(s) to book.

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The critical thing here is that the Nigerian Police are now ready to prosecute Nigerian soldiers when they commit crimes. This multiple murder by soldiers would have gone uninvestigated. The police would have granted the soldiers immunity to kill. But no more.

Also today, the soldier that raped a student in Ondo State was arraigned in court, again showing an increased determination to prosecute soldiers who commit crimes.

In return, a journalist tortured by SARS in Port Harcourt is suing the police.

According to news report,  “The journalist said he suffered a swollen knee after he was hit several times with wooden bars, while trying to take photographs of the harassment of a boy by the SARS officers at Mgbuoba in the Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of the state.”

The war between the police and the military may work in the interest of the common man. Only they can check each other. Hopefully this will help the court find its voice in helping to hold military and police officers that commit crimes or abuse human rights accountable.