The protest followed the killing of a technician by policemen
Enraged youths locked down roads leading to the Lagos Roundabout and all entrances leading to Magaji Garin Police Station of Kaduna state on Saturday protesting the death of 40-year Elisa Joseph. The deceased, a print technician, was reportedly killed by a policeman while he was trying to broker peace between a policeman and a prisons official.
The two uniformed men were said to engaged in a dispute over their rights on the Forcados/Bonny street road. According to an eyewitness, Joseph couldn’t condone the traffic caused by the two security men as their argument lasted, thus,” he left his shop and went to meet them. On getting there, his words of advice was misinterpreted and the Police officer transferred his aggression on him, asking who made him a judge over the case, subsequently, he hit the Print Technician so hard on the stomach and head repeatedly.”
?After hitting him, the policeman dragged Joseph into his vehicle. People were shouting that the policeman should leave him alone. He left him and the deceased, stood up and went to the hospital for a check-up. He died in the hospital? the witness said.
The Kaduna State Commissioner of Police, Olufemi Adenaike has however denied the involvement of one of his men in the death of Joseph. Adenaike said “No policeman beat him, no policeman hit him, he was foaming in the mouth, I think he is diabetic. He took himself to the hospital and died there.?
The father of the deceased, Mr. Kunle Joseph lamented the untimely death of his son who he said left home hale and hearty, ?I am devastated over the death of my son, and as at the time of talking to you, I have not seen the body. I am presently in a state of confusion. There is no action that will bring him back to life but we want justice to be done,? he said
Human Rights Watch had earlier in the year alleged the police of brutality and killing of innocent citizens, an allegation that the force denied.
