The Lagos State Directorate of Public Prosecutions has formally charged Inspector Dikko Usman of the Nigeria Police Force alongside others in connection with the murder of Chief Fatai Jubril, the Baale of Lotu community located in the Ibeju-Lekki Local Government Area.
Recent reports indicate that Inspector Usman has been dismissed from the police force and is currently facing court charges. The details of the indictment were outlined in an advisory from the Directorate of Public Prosecutions (DPP) to the Assistant Inspector General of Police, which has been obtained by our news team.
The DPP advisory, signed by Deputy Director Sunmonu Tunde on behalf of the state Attorney General, reveals that Inspector Usman, along with his accomplices Omotola Adeboyejo and Wasiu Agbaraojo, will be prosecuted for conspiracy to commit murder and murder.
The tragic incident occurred on July 15, 2023, when Chief Fatai Jubril was shot dead in front of his wife, Ejiro Jubril, and their teenage daughter amid a dispute concerning land ownership. Ejiro Jubril recounted a harrowing experience where she was assaulted while attempting to save her husband from an attack by approximately 50 assailants, including two Mobile Police officers.
In her emotional account, she stated, “I begged them to spare my husband. They started beating me when I held on to my husband. They said my husband and I were going to die together.”
The couple’s elder brother, Moshood Jubril, expressed deep distress over the incident, highlighting that the attack occurred right before the eyes of the family.
According to the DPP, the medical cause of death confirmed that Chief Jubril died from gunshot wounds, substantiated by eyewitness testimonies. Despite conflicting reports indicating that the two Mobile Police officers were responsible for the gunfire, the ballistic analysis attributed the gunshots that led to Jubril’s death to Usman’s firearm.
The formal report stated, “Facts in the duplicate case file reveal that Chief Fatai Jubril was shot at on July 15, 2023, and died as a result of the gunshot injuries as indicated in the Medical Cause of Death Certificate.”
While both Mobile Police officers present are implicated, only Inspector Usman has been charged, with spokesperson Ayuba Umma clarifying that the second officer, Inspector Sanni, has faced internal disciplinary action and was demoted.
The spokesperson emphasized, “They were not on illegal duty. The only wrong was the use of firearms. This doesn’t mean the other officer should be held responsible for an offence they didn’t commit.”
This case has prompted a significant public response and raises serious questions about police conduct and accountability in Lagos State.
