The police made this known in a statement signed by the Lagos State Police Command PRO, CSP Adekunle Ajisebutu.

It reads ”This is to inform the general public that Sgt Samuel Philipps who was tried for the shooting incident of 11th September 2021 that led to the death of Monsurat Ojuade has been dismissed from the Nigeria Police Force. He was dismissed after the conclusion of his orderly room trial. The suspect will be charged to court today for murder. Recall that the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Hakeem Odumosu, had promised that the matter would be properly investigated and that justice would be served. This action is, therefore, done in fulfilment of that promise.

The Commissioner of Police further sympathises with the bereaved family, and reiterates his earlier promise that justice would be done in this case.”

The three men were arrested by operatives of the Inspector-General of Police Intelligence Response Team at the Ogombo police division in Lagos state. They asked for N500 million from their victim.

Confirming their arrest, the spokesperson of the state police command, CSP Adekunle Ajisebutu, said the victim has been rescued and reunited with her parents.

He said the three suspects have been taken to the State CID Panti for further investigation on the order of the CP, Hakeem Odumosu.

He added that further investigation is ongoing to arrest other members of the kidnap gang. He mentioned that more details will be given regarding the arrest later.

Punch reports that the little girl had always complained to her mother that a certain ”daddy’ was fond of touching her buttock and chest but could not mention the person’s name. The mother became more curious when she noticed that her daughter was comfortable with boys sleeping on her during playtime.

The mother, who gave her name only as Funmi, said that she lodged a complaint at the Owutu Police Division after her daughter pointed at the suspect as the person always touching her bum. Benjamin and his wife, one Florence, were then arrested.

The mother said the suspect was dumbfounded when confronted by the girl and resorted to begging, adding that his wife was later released on bail.

“My daughter had been complaining to me for some time that daddy touched her bum bum (buttock) and chest but she couldn’t mention the name of the person. I attended a wedding in Ibadan sometime in August last year and the man (Benjamin) was also there. We took a picture together. My daughter saw the picture and pointed at him that he was the one who harassed her. She also said it before the woman who was taking care of her. She will be four years old in September.”

Funmi said the caregiver used to work at her daughter’s former crèche, stating that she withdrew the girl from the facility because the new caregiver was not taking good care of her.

“There was an academic programme I enrolled for in Enugu State and I needed someone I trust to take care of her. I approached the woman (Florence) and she accepted. She would be with the woman for two weeks before I returned from Enugu. She was the one taking her to school and picking her up. She later started running a daycare.”the mother said

An activist and member of Advocates for Children and Vulnerable Persons Network, following up the case, Okla Gogo, said the group was awaiting the results of a medical test carried out on the girl.

“The suspect has been transferred to the gender unit at police headquarters in Ikeja. We want the police to carry out a proper investigation into this case and ensure that justice is served,” he said

The state police command spokesperson, CSP Adekunle Ajisebutu, is yet to comment on this development.