DPP Drops Charges Against Lagos Police Officers in Owode Onirin Killings, Falana Vows Appeal

The Lagos State Directorate of Public Prosecutions advised dropping charges against four policemen and land developer Abiodun Ariori over the shooting deaths of six traders in Owode Onirin, Kosofe. The DPP ruled there was no prima facie evidence after investigators failed to provide autopsy reports, ballistic analyses or rifle examinations. State police urged a reversal, citing autopsy and ballistic findings linking the officers to the killings. They called on the DPP to reconsider so justice can be served and public confidence restored. Human rights lawyer Femi Falana, representing the victims’ families, condemned the decision and promised to supply missing evidence. He also plans a civil suit seeking compensation for the traders’ relatives. The case highlights tensions between prosecutorial standards and police claims of self-defense during enforcement of a disputed land order.

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