Lagos (Nigeria) -- Army and police authorities may be heading for a collision course over the recent killing of a Ghanaian in Lagos by a military rating on the orders of his boss, a brigadier-general.
The Ghanaian, Joel Awhausu ,was shot on the leg and stomach by the soldier guarding the brigadier-general’s house at the Victoria Garden City in Ajah area of Lagos early this year, following an alleged scuffle with a lady visitor to the officer’s residence.
Awhausu was said to have been invited to intervene in the scuffle by the lady who is a regular caller at the army officer’s house before he was shot after a misunderstanding that got out of hand.
Daily Independent learnt at the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Panti street, Yaba, Lagos that police investigation is not progressing as expected as homicide detectives no longer have access to the private soldier that shot the Ghanaian dead.
The army authorities had earlier justified the shooting when they said the shooting was done in self defence.
Although the Lagos State Police spokesman Mr. Emmanuel Ighodalo explained that the army was a disciplined institution, such a position has not changed the mind of the authorities to hand over the suspect to assist the homicide detectives in the investigation into the matter.
It was learnt that the military had told the police that it would prefer to deal with the matter through internal disciplinary mechanism.
But the police are saying that investigation cannot be completed unless the suspect is released to them for questioning.
Indications that both institutions may be heading for a collision course emerged when the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Mr. Tafa Balogun contacted the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. General Alexander Ogomudia on the need to treat the matter on merit.
Sources said that the Ghanaian Embassy had complained about the manner the matter was being handled, a situation the police are blaming the military for.
Last week, Force Public Relations Officer, Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Chris Olakpe confirmed that the Lagos State Police Command had been contacted to forward interim report on the matter.
