The Lekki Estates Residents and Stakeholders Association (LERSA), the umbrella organisation representing estates and residents in the Lekki-Epe corridor of Lagos State, has demanded immediate action to end the police killing of its members and other Nigerians.
Lawyer Bolanle Raheem was killed by a police officer, and LERSA President Olorogun James Emadoye called it "distressing" and "one of too many incidents within a very short period."
Emadoye described how a demonstration against the murder of a talented young man in the Sangotedo neighbourhood recently nearly spiralled out of hand.
The LERSA president claims that the group does not believe that demonstrations will result in the desired outcomes and has begun working with the appropriate authorities to find a long-term solution to what has grown to be a serious threat to the towns along the corridor and the whole nation.
“I, in the company of some the members of our exco had a meeting the same morning of the incident with the Area J Police Commander. I can assure you that the authorities themselves are disturbed over this. A harmless pregnant mother with four children in a vehicle was killed for nothing. We must strategize and see how to do other things that will stop this sort of incident,” Emadoye said.
One of the measures that LERSA is strongly proposing, Emadoye revealed, is the involvement of the community in helping to check the mental health of weapons-bearing security officers.
“The association will establish immediate contact with the Lagos State Commissioner of Police on this challenge. Our thoughts go to the husband and children of the deceased this season. May God comfort them and grant them the fortitude to carry on,” he said.
He added that LERSA will ensure that justice is obtained for the family of the deceased and see that her death brings an end to such a waste of human lives in the country.
“We are happy that Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu and the Commissioner of Police are already involved and we are pleading that action does not only end with the prosecution of the murderers of Mrs Raheem and possible compensation for her family but also includes clear, measurable and sustainable actions and measures that will bring to an end to sad occurrences like this. This is the only way the community can hope to eventually recover from this black Christmas,” Emadoye concluded.