MUST READ: How Drunken Police Officer Killed 3 In Lagos

Facts have emerged on how Sergeant Stephen James, police murdered three residents and also took his own life in Ketu area of Lagos state on Boxing Day.

The News reports that the late police officer was proud of the ‘terrorist’ tag placed on him by residents of the area.

Sule Ajayi, a 26-year-old resident of Ketu who reportedly got to the scene of the incident minutes after the occurrence, said: “Guys around always called him Terrorist and he was proud to be associated with the nickname, excited anytime he was hailed.”

The late police officer with Force number 217884, shot dead a set of twins, Taiwo and Kehinde Oyesunle and a third person simply identified as Jeje in a Boxing Day tragedy at the Paulson Hotel located on Anibaba Street, Ketu during a footbal match before killing himself.

“Many times, he had threatened people, both residents of this our area and those who patronise the hotel. When he is charged, he would yell at people over any slight provocation and threaten to shoot and kill.

 

Front view of the hotel where the incident occurred. Photo: The News

“He would often say he is on official assignment and as a result, has licence to kill and that he could kill and label a person an armed robber and that instead of punishing him, the police authority would promote him. As a result, we were very scared of him because he went about armed,” one of the residents of the area said on the condition of anonymity.

Residents of the area who confirmed that Sergeant James was often drunk informed that he often smoked too.

According to Ajayi: “Just four days ago, a young man, who visits the hotel often with his friends, came to this hotel and as usual, bought drinks for this policeman.

“While they were discussing and throwing banters, he started bragging again of how he loved shooting. The man who bought him drinks told him: ‘oya, show your power now’. The policeman brought out his gun and released four times into the air.

“Many people in the neighbourhood were scared but they later heard that it was James. That’s how we had been coping with him not knowing he was a danger waiting to happen.”

Investigations revealed two versions to the incident; the first being that one of the three killed residents had a problem with some people in the hotel and the policeman was called from where he sat to intervene and during the arguments that ensued, he was said to have shot the man and the other two who wanted to challenge him.