The Lagos State chapter of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has called for an urgent investigation into the Ojo Police Division over allegations of negligence, extortion, and a possible cover-up in the suspected murder of Adedamola Ogunbode, a 2024 graduate of Lagos State University (LASU).
The students’ union urged the Commissioner of Police, Olohundare Jimoh, to probe the police division after officers allegedly mishandled the case. In a statement released on Sunday, NANS accused the Ojo Police Division of initially dismissing the case as a missing person’s report despite strong evidence suggesting foul play.
NANS Chairman, Comrade Abdul-Raheem Abdul-Quadri said, “The police failed in their duty from the beginning. They ignored clear signs that this was not just a missing person case. If not for public outcry, nothing would have been done.”
Arrests Made, But Questions Remain
The Lagos State Police Command announced on Friday that three suspects had been arrested in connection with Ogunbode’s murder, while five others remain at large.
Chief Superintendent of Police Benjamin Hundeyin confirmed that the case, initially treated as a missing person’s incident, had been upgraded to a suspected murder investigation.
The union acknowledged Commissioner Jimoh’s intervention but criticized the initial delays by officers handling the case.
NANS Public Relations Officer, Comrade Ridwan Ajayi said, “We have strong reasons to believe that officers at the Ojo Police Division were compromised. We suspect they accepted bribes from the suspects or their accomplices to cover up the crime.”
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Family Alleges Police Extortion
According to the statement, Ogunbode’s parents were allegedly extorted multiple times by officers at Ojo Police Division while seeking justice for their son.
The statement read, “The parents of the deceased have appeared in multiple video interviews, revealing how they were asked to pay money just to have the police do their job. This is unacceptable and must be investigated.”
NANS also accused the Ojo Police Division of a pattern of failing students, citing the unresolved 2021 murder of another LASU student activist, Comrade Nurudeen Alowonle Omomeewa.
The union stated, “This is not the first time Nigerian students are being abandoned by those meant to protect them. Omomeewa’s case remains unsolved despite multiple protests and petitions.”
Demands for Justice
NANS listed several demands, including:
- A full-scale investigation into the role of the Ojo Police Division.
- Suspension and possible prosecution of any officer found guilty of negligence or cover-up.
- A refund of all money allegedly extorted from Ogunbode’s family.
- The extradition of two key suspects who reportedly fled to Cotonou, Benin Republic.
The statement said, “We demand that the Lagos State Police Command work with international police to bring these suspects back to Nigeria. Justice will not be complete if any of the criminals remain free.”
The students warned that they would take to the streets if their demands were ignored.
NANS declared, “This is the last time we will tolerate such injustice from the Nigerian Police Force. Failure to act will force us to mobilize Nigerian students for a mass protest at Ojo Police Station.”