The mother of Bolanle Raheem, a lawyer who was shot dead by a policeman on Christmas Day in the Ajah area of Lagos, has said that she sold oranges to train the deceased to become a lawyer
It was reported that some police officers attached to the Ajiwe police station in Ajah had ordered the car conveying Raheem and her family to stop but before the driver could stop, a police officer who was later identified as Drambi Vandi shot at the car and hit the lawyer fatally.
Premium Times reports that Raheem’s mother, who spoke in Yoruba when the Lagos State commissioner of police, Mr. Abiodun Alabi, paid her a condolence visit, disclosed that she went through a lot to send her daughter to school.
She also stated that Raheem, who left behind a five-year-old daughter, was already pregnant with twins.
“I cannot see my ‘The Law’ again. People usually call her ‘The Law’. She was taken away from me. She was pregnant with twins.
“She died with her glory. She left a five-year-old daughter behind. And they took her away.
“On Monday, my granddaughter came to me and said ‘Grandma Iju Ishaga, I saw you yesterday when you were crying; you were shouting; is it because of my mummy?’ And I said ‘yes’.
“Then she came again and told me, ‘Pastor Jerry said what God cannot do does not exist; so, grandma, stop crying’. And she kissed me on the cheek.
“Just like that, she was taken away from me. Oluwagbenga (referring to the deceased’s husband), you won’t see your love.
“It is not easy. A child that I have been training since childhood. I suffered over her. I hawked oranges; there is nothing I did not do.”
Speaking during the visit, Alabi assured the family that justice will prevail.
“This person who did this won’t go unpunished,” he said.
Meanwhile, President Muhammadu Buhari has directed the police to take action against the officials involved Raheem’s killing.
Buhari, in a statement by his spokesman, Mr. Garba Shehu, also assured the family and colleagues of the deceased lawyer that justice would be served in the matter.
He said the president described the killing of Raheem as “heinous and senseless”, also noting that it was a wake-up call to law enforcement agencies to ensure the implementation of all reforms introduced by the administration to better service delivery by agencies, especially on weapons’ handling and citizens’ rights.
“President Buhari said this incident is a stark reminder of the recurring menace of the mishandling of weapons and a wakeup call to law enforcement agencies, including the Police, to ensure the full implementation of reforms instituted by the administration on the subject of weapons handling as well as the protection of the rights of citizens” Shehu added.
