EDITORIAL: Lessons From The Unfortunate Death Of CSP Kazeem Alonde

The attack last Thursday September 23, 2021 on the police team that went to Ajao Estate area of Lagos for law enforcement during which leader of the  team Kazeem Alonde; a Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP) was brutally murdered has come as one incident that leaves Nigerians with more than one hard lessons to learn.

Quite sad that the life of a senior police officer of that category was cut short in the course of his official assignment,  it becomes sadder the manner he was killed by people he was reportedly shielding from being extra judicially fired by his armed team members.

The gory tale of how he was attacked with cutlasses, axe, bottles and other weapons by the hoodlums in spite of the fact that he never confronted them violently but rather appeal for compliance with extant law on commercial motor cycle business in Lagos leaves one with some disheartened spirit.

The beastiality exhibited towards the CSP in spite of his gestures and pleadings to his attackers that he had come for peace not war only showed how ungodly and animalistic many Nigerians in their class could be. They exhibited the worst inhuman act that defies rule of engagement even in a state of war. Why did they to kill a man who was already at their mercy. That he was pleading and begging for his life was enough humiliation for a senior officer of his category. Why kill him in the manner they did?

This gruesome incident as condemnable as it is, has however thrown up some lessons for both the police authorities, their personnel and other Nigerians to learn.

Lesson One: If the enforcement team which reportedly consisted of different squads like RRS and others had really gone to Ajao Estate to dislodge criminal elements according to the first press statement from Lagos State Police Command, the outcome of the mission clearly showed the team was ill prepared.

Lesson Two: If the mission of the team was to confiscate and impound motorcycles from erring riders as reported in another version which is largely believed, the outcome of the mission also clearly showed a failure in strategic management because the team’s leadership ought to speculate that it was not going to be a tea party. 

Lesson Three: Given the huge number of Okada riders in that axis, any intent to dislodge them should have considered coming with more armed police personnel that could effectively checkmate the crowd.

Lesson Four: If truly CSP Kazeem Alonde prevented his armed men from attacking the Okada riders who were poised for  violent action and in the mood to kill simply for fear of being accused of ‘extra judicial killing’, there was error of judgement on his side.  This is because, self protection in such a situation would have come first. He would have allowed his men to disperse the surging crowd with tear has if they cannot shoot.  Or do we assume they did come with tear gas cannisters?

Lesson Five: If truly CSP Alonde ordered his men not to shoot possibly at the early stage of the crisis, common sense would have dawned on the team to breach the order when it became obvious that Alonde’s life was grossly in danger and he was in a helpless situation.

Lesson Six: By abandoning their Commander in the hands of the attackers without firing a shot and running away did not portray the police team as gallant officers.

Lesson Seven: The ferocity and brutality with which the attack was done shows to a great extent the deep-rooted anger of the Okada riders against the police in the enforcement of the Lagos State Law banning commercial motorcylists from some routes.

Lesson Eight: The Ajao Estate incident has shown that no matter how the police are willing to enforce the restriction order on commercial motorcylists in any part of Lagos, there would always be crisis as many riders are jobless and have no other means of survival.

Lesson Nine: The Ajao Estate incident is a pointer to the fact that the distribution and sales of motor cycles in Lagos and subsequent registration at vehicle licensing offices for commercial use would continue to encourage more riders to be on the various routes whether legal or illegal.

Lesson Ten: The Ajao Estate incident clearly shows that Lagos State Government must have an enduring workable alternative to banning of commercial motorcylists on parts of Lagos routes.

SECURITY REPORTERS.com would therefore advise Lagos Police authorities to learn some of the lessons pointed out here and re-strategize against future occurrence. 

It is saddening to lose an officer so carelessly as it happened in the case of CSP Kazeem Alonde. We sincerely share in the pains of his family and the Nigeria Police Force just as we pray that such a dastardly incident will never occur in our society.