Court awards N4m against police for shooting subsidy protesters!

A Lagos High Court, Ikeja has awarded N4m as compensation to four protesters who were shot by the dismissed Divisional Police Officer of Pencinema, Segun Fabunmi, during the protest against subsidy removal in January 2012.

Justice Bola Okikiolu-Ighile, in her judgment, awarded the total sum of N4m damages against the police and Fabunmi for “recklessly shooting and inflicting bodily injury” on the protesters.

The Lagos State Director of Public Prosecution, DPP, last May began the criminal prosecution of the police officer who shot and killed a protester during last year’s petrol subsidy protest in Lagos.

Segun Fabunmi, the dismissed Chief Superintendent of Police, was arraigned before an Ikeja High Court, for allegedly murdering Adedamola Daramola (also known as Ademola Aderinto) during the January 2012 protests.

In addition to the death of Mr. Aderinto, Abubakar Alimi, Samuel Egbujor, and Chizoba Odoh, sustained gunshot injuries from the police officer’s AK 47 rifle.

While Mr. Odoh received bullet wounds on his right index finger, both Messrs Alimi and Egbujor were allegedly shot on their left legs.

Mr. Fabunmi, the former Divisional Police Officer of Pen Cinema, Agege, was charged with a seven count of murder, attempted murder, and inflicting injuries to some of the protesters.