Compel Oyo CP to produce escaped serial killer, activist tells IGP

A human rights activist, Comrade Adeniyi Sulaiman has called on the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Adamu Mohammed to compel the Commissioner of Police in Oyo State, Mr. Joe Nwachuku Enwonwu, to produce a suspect, Sunday Shodipe, who reportedly escaped from custody after he was arrested for alleged serial killings.

Sulaiman, who is the Executive Chairman, Centre for Human Rights and Social Justice (CHRSJ), also called on the Police Service Commission (PSC) to set up an independent panel of enquiry to investigate the escape from custody of the suspect, insisting that the explanation by the Oyo CP was not tenable in sane climes.

The activist, who made the call in a statement on Monday, further called for the arrest and prosecution of all the officers in charge of Shodipo’s case for negligence and dereliction of duty.

It would be recalled that the Oyo CP had on Sunday announced the escape of the 19-year-old alleged serial killer from the custody of the state police command.

Shodipe and two others were earlier arrested in connection with a series of killings in Akinyele Local Government area of Oyo State, particularly for the deaths of Azeezat Shomuyiwa, and Barakat Bello, amongst others.

Sulaiman, in the statement argued that it was the duty of the police to arrest and keep suspects safely in custody for possible prosecution, faulting the a call by the CP on the general public to be on the lookout for the immediate re-arrest of Shodipe because it was not the duty of the general public.

Sulaiman insisted that the Police must be alive to their constitutional responsibility of protecting the lives and property of the citizenry and as well arresting criminals.

Alleging that the Oyo State Command of the Nigeria Police Force(NPF) cannot claim innocence on the matter, Sulaiman threatened that if the escaped suspect was not re-arrested within 14 days, the CHRSJ would not hesitate to approach the court of competent jurisdiction to seek payment of damages to the families of all the victims of serial killings in Akinyele Local Government Area of the state.