Hit-and-run policeman will not be protected – CP

Commissioner of Police, Lagos State Command, Mr. Umar Manko
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Lagos State Police Commissioner, Umar Manko, has said the police corporal, who drove against traffic and knocked down a woman and her baby on June 23, 2013, will not be protected by the police authorities, but be allowed to face the course of justice.

PUNCH Metro had reported on Friday that the police corporal, identified simply as Friday, allegedly drove against traffic on Apapa-Oshodi Expressway and knocked down a teacher, Mrs. Taskirat Anjolaiya and her baby, Ammarah.

Friday, who was on an errand for the Divisional Police Officer, FESTAC Police Division, Ibrahim Zango, was driving a woman to the airport when the incident occurred.

Taskirat was rushed to the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, where doctors discovered that the mother of three sustained a pelvic fracture, facial bruises, and brain injury while the baby, Ammarah, also suffered deep facial cuts and a broken jaw. The family said they had spent over N500, 000 on treatment.

But while briefing journalists on Monday, Manko said the incident was regrettable.

When asked if compensation would be given to the family, he said, “We will see what we can do for her (Taskirat) on compassionate grounds because the DPO and the corporal were not on official assignment when the incident occurred, it was a private affair.”

Manko however said investigations were ongoing as he only got wind of the incident recently. He said since driving against traffic was against the state’s traffic law, the policeman would face the law.

“The corporal was brought to my office and has written a statement. The DPO has also been asked to give an official statement on the issue. By the time we are through, everyone will get his own portion of justice,” he said.

However, the victim’s husband, Sulaiman, said the police as an institution, had a case to answer since it was a police vehicle that was used in committing the act.

“The fact remains that it was a policeman driving an official police vehicle that knocked down my wife and child,” he said.

CULLED from PUNCH