Police begin investigation into death of ex-LASU activist

The Lagos State police commissioner, Hakeem Odumosu, has ordered that the death of the former Lagos State University students’ union presidential aspirant, Yusuf Alowonle, popularly called Omomeewa, be investigated, an official has said.

This was made known to the public by Lagos police Public Relations Officer, Adekunle Ajisebutu who was responding to an allegation made by an advocacy group, Education Rights Campaign (ERC), that the police were working on the autopsy of the deceased.

Mr. Ajisebutu also confirmed that the case has been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department in the Panti area of Lagos.

Recall, the student activist and 2019 graduate of Educational Management was shot dead in a robbery attack on Wednesday night near the school gate.

Following the incident, the management of the institution assured that all issues surrounding the attack will be adequately addressed.

Mr Alowonle, who was also the ERC Lagos coordinator, was shot alongside a school staff, Waheed Majekodunmi, also known as Majek.

The ERC national coordinator, Hassan Taiwo, had in a Facebook post on Saturday alleged that the police officers in the Adoff station in Iba, Igando area of Lagos attempted to cover up the matter, according to Premium Times.

Police react

But the police spokesman described the allegations as “false, spurious and baseless.”

Mr Ajisebutu said the police have nothing to hide and could not have prevented the autopsy because “it is an integral part of our investigation in a case of this nature.”

“However, the Commissioner of Police, CP Hakeem Odumosu, has directed that the case be transferred to the State CID, Panti for diligent investigation,” he said.

AllegationsAccording to Mr Soweto, the police had requested that the family swear an affidavit that they would not demand an autopsy as a precondition for the release of the body.

“Of course, this request raised suspicion as to the motive of the police. It appeared to us that the police just wanted the body to be buried so that the truth of what happened could be buried with it. This situation led to anger and raised tension.”

He said it took the intervention of the Chief Pathologist of the Lagos State Teaching Hospital (LASUTH), John Obafunwa, to call for an autopsy to be carried out on the body and “with this new development, both the family and the police had no choice but to submit.”