By Akinwale Kasali
One Year after the demise of Sheriff Ishola Salami, a Youth Leader in Ojomu Community in Ajiran, Eti Osa Local Council Development Area in Lagos State, nothing has been done by the Police and the Lagos State Government to unravel the perpetrators of the gruesome murder.
This prompted the Civil Rights Group, Centre for Human and Socio Economic Rights, CHSR, to call on the Lagos State Governor, Babajide Olusola Sanwo Olu, and the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun to order an immediate investigation into this issue.
At a Press briefing which marked one year of the deceased, CHSR President, Comrade Alex Omotehinse, said it is appalled that the police were yet to conduct investigation into the callous incident despite a petition sent to the Lagos State Government, House of Assembly, Lagos State Commissioner of Police and to the Inspector General of Police.
It added that due to the failure to get justice and with the Police allegedly being economical with the truth, it prompted the Group to restate its earlier stance that the apparent nonchalance of the police authority was deliberately orchestrated to frustrate investigation and deny justice to the immediate family of the deceased.
Omotehinse said that it had cause to call on the IGP and Governor Sanwo Olu on the need to fish out the perpetrators of the heinous crime and bring them to book in accordance with the dictates of rule of law and in the interest of justice.
Wife of the deceased, Mariam Salami said that In the last one year, the mother of the late Sheriff, who was terminally ill at the time of the unfortunate incident passed on in trauma while her three young daughters, Zinat, Asisat, and Arafat are yet to be reassured that justice would be done to the memory of their loved ones.
She pleaded with Governor Sanwo Olu and the IGP to assist them and ensure that Justice is served.
CHSR added that the family of the deceased has been left to mourn their beloved son, husband and father without any glimmer of hope of getting justice since the law enforcement agencies; particularly the police charged with the responsibility of protection and conducting criminal investigation have not been forthcoming.
The Group, therefore, stated that it is compelled to again demand that the suspected masterminds and accomplices in the cold-blooded murder of Sheriff Ishola Salami be investigated by the police.
“We at the CHSR as well as rank and file of leadership of human rights community in Lagos State and by extension Nigeria are demanding that the new leadership of the Nigeria Police headed by Inspector General Police (IGP), Mr. Kayode Egbetokun should order credible investigation into the callous incident of April 18, 2023 at MOBA town adjacent AJIRAN and, as expected, all issues and circumstances that may have culminated in the murder of Mr. Sheriff Ishola Salami.
“For the avoidance of doubts, the murder incident was duly reported at the Ogombo police station, Lekki and followed up with a notification to Assistant Inspector General of Police, Nigeria Police Force, Zonal Command Headquarters, Zone II, Onikan. You would recall that in November, 2023, we embarked on advocacy to the Commissioner of Police, Lagos State, National Human Rights Commission (Lagos State Office) and the Office of the Governor of Lagos State.
“We also petitioned the Lagos State House of Assembly (LAHA) to wade into the matter. We wish to place on record that the leadership of the LAHA commenced inquiry into the matter through the House Committee on Human Rights. The House Committee after two sittings urged the Lagos State Police Command represented by the Assistant Commissioner, Criminal Investigation Department (CID) to investigate the murder. We are also aware that concerned indigenes of Ajiran community and the traditional leadership has made representations to the Nigeria Police to unravel the murder of Sherriff Ishola Salami. Unfortunately, however, neither the Lagos State Police Command nor the Office of the IGP has taken meaningful steps to investigate the murder case.
“We, therefore, wish to again call on Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu to wade into the matter and ensure that investigation is conducted in the interest of justice”.
The Group demands that the unresolved murder of Sheriff Ishola Salami be investigated, adding that IGP Egbetokun owes the global community explanation on the continued silence over the callous murder of Salami in spite of several petitions to his office.
It furthermore demanded that the Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu should demand investigation into the murder of Sherriff Ishola Salami) on April 18, 2023, and also the Lagos State Police Command should, without further delay, should make a public statement on the unresolved murder of Sherriff Ishola Salami to avail Nigerians and global citizens on its stance.
