…This senseless killing must stop

…lnvite external police agency, to help out

By Dayo Johnson, Akure

Disturbed by the Extra-Judicial killing of innocent Nigerians by the police in the country, the Senator representing Ondo South Senatorial District, Ondo state, Nicholas Tofowomo, has called for a meaningful police reform.

Tofowomo said that President Muhammadu Buhari, still has enough time to set up a committee for immediate police reform.

The Senator, who lost one of his constituents, Ogunwa Ololade to the stray bullet of SARS operatives who were shooting sporadically while chasing some internet fraudsters called yahoo boys on February 5, 2019, said the president should embark on a police reform conference as a legacy for Nigerians.

Speaking over the killing of Barr. Bolanle Raheem, a lawyer, wife and pregnant mother who was allegedly killed by the police on Christmas day,Tofowomo said, “I thank God that the president has made a very strong statement on the killing of Bolanle Raheem, a lawyer, who was killed in Lagos by the police.

“President Buhari should be aware that I have been agitating for meaningful police reform since I was inaugurated as a member of the 9th senate in 2019.

Tofowomo said in a statement by his SA Media and Publicity, Akinrinlola Olumide, that ” Your Excellency, you still have significant time to set up a police reform conference as a legacy you can leave behind.

“Nigeria police force is still operating an analogue structure while other countries have moved on to digital policing. Between 2019 to date, many lives have been lost to police through unlawful killings in Nigeria that were not given media attention.

“Dear Mr President, Ogunwa Ololade, one of my constituents was killed in 2019 by SARS operatives who were shooting sporadically while chasing some internet fraudsters.

” Similarly, as an undergraduate at the University of Ife, three of my friends were gunned down before my eyes by the police when we mobilised ourselves on July 7, 1981, to protest the killing of Bukola Arogundade whose head was cut off by unknown assailants.

“We were going to the palace of the late Ooni of Ife, His Imperial Majesty, Oba Okunade Sijuwade when the police suddenly attacked us on the road and killed three students.

“If it were British police, they will calm down the protesters and address them politely with a promise to investigate their matter, unlike our police that shot sporadically with teargas and live bullets and killed three promising students.

“This is part of the deficiency of the Nigeria police I am agitating for.

“Mr President, it is not too late to achieve police reform. The incoming president would continue from where you stop since government is a continuum.

“I appeal to Mr President to call a police reform conference. Nigerians will meet and deliberate on the way forward during the conference and the report will be submitted and your government can start the implementation without delay.

“Your Excellency should extend invitation to the Foreign Police as we don’t have effective policing in Nigeria. Our police need training and retraining and I advise such training should be handled by foreign police.

“There is no shame in inviting an external police agency with the requisite experience to help us out.

“The problem with the Nigeria police is beyond a mere reform on the subject of weapons handling.

“Our police lack infrastructure, training, required personnel, digital gadgets, basic equipment, needed experience, weapons, and among other things required of digital policing.

Tofowomo added that “The articulated programme of action needed to reposition the police is now.