Prominent human rights lawyer and activist, Tope Temokun, has asserted that the recent death sentence handed to Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Drambi Vandi for the killing of pregnant lawyer Omobolanle Raheem on Christmas Day in 2022 will not effectively combat police brutality in Nigeria unless the government takes action on the recommendations provided by judicial panels.
As reported by ChroniclesReporters on Monday, Lagos High Court convicted and sentenced Vandi to death by hanging for the murder of Raheem. The tragic incident occurred when Vandi, attached to Ajiwe Police Station, shot Raheem as she was returning home from a Christmas service at Ajah Under-bridge.
Temokun, in response to the verdict, pointed out that in two weeks, Nigeria would mark the three-year anniversary of the historic #EndSARS protest, which aimed to end police brutality in the country.
He emphasized that despite the government’s commitments, as evidenced by the formation of judicial panels of inquiry funded by the public, the recommendations of these panels regarding police brutality remain unimplemented. Incidents of police brutality and extrajudicial killings by officers continue to occur across the country.
In a statement on Tuesday, Temokun said, “I salute the courageous judgment of Justice Ibironke Harrison of the Lagos State High Court who, on Monday, 9th of October 2023, found guilty the police officer, Drambi Vandi, who fatally shot and killed Bolanle Raheem, a Lagos-based lawyer and expectant mother, on Christmas Day in 2022 at the Ajah roundabout in Lagos and sentenced him to death by hanging.”
He further reflected on the lack of significant police reforms in Nigeria since the #EndSARS protest of 2020, emphasizing the need for a fundamental transformation of the police force.
Temokun stated, “Abuse of use of the police powers by those in government and their cronies is the number one reason why there can’t be any meaningful police reform in Nigeria. Those in power in this country do not see the police more than their own personal pre-paid instrument of vendetta to show off superior powers to their fellow citizens in matters that are often than not purely personal and civil.”
The human rights lawyer called for a judicial system that upholds the rights of citizens and punishes government agencies for abuses of power. He invoked the words of Justice Krisha Iyer, emphasizing that no nation founded on injustice can endure, and he questioned whether Raheem’s case would be the last if Nigeria fails to reform its policing system.
As calls for police reform intensify, the debate over systemic change and accountability continues to shape discussions around law enforcement in Nigeria.