Ajah killing: Osinbajo reaches out to Raheem’s family

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has contacted and consoled the husband and family of Bolanle Raheem, who was killed by a policeman on Christmas Day in Lagos.

Raheem, who was pregnant, was fatally shot on December 25 by Drambi Vandi, a police officer attached to Ajiwe police division in the Ajah area of the state.

The family of Raheem, a Lagos-based lawyer, and Gbenga, the husband, have been receiving guests since the unfortunate incident.

Osinbajo contacted the husband and family on December 28 to condole and pray with them, even though aides say he has been away on vacation since Christmas Day when he preached at the Aso Villa Chapel.

The murder of Raheem on Christmas Day has continued to generate reactions from Nigerians from different walks of life.

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The vice president, during the phone call made from his vacation, also assured the deceased family of justice and prayed God to give them the fortitude to bear the loss.

The late Raheem was a member of the Olive Parish of the RCCG in Ikoyi, where Osinbajo was a pastor up until 2015 when he took office as vice president.

Osinbajo had in the wake of the EndSARs protest in 2020, championed the reform of the police special units, eventually leading to the outright dissolution of the police anti-robbery squad.

The vice president, while acting as president, had directed an overhauling of Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) in line with his pro-rule of law stance, disdain for extrajudicial killing and his outright condemnation of police brutality.

Osinbajo, had also, through the National Economic Council (NEC), directed the creation of judicial panels in states across the country that reviewed cases of police brutality and extra-judicial killings across the country in the ENDSARS aftermath.

Aside the vice president, other prominent Nigerians including Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State, have also condemned the killing and commiserated with the Raheem family.