Femi Falana, the human rights lawyer, says lawyers must use the death of Bolanle Raheem to awaken the consciousness of Nigerians on the evils of police brutality.
Falana said the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) must ensure that Raheem did not die in vain like other victims of police brutality.
Last Sunday, Raheem was allegedly shot dead by Drambi Vandi, an assistant superintendent of police.
The deceased was returning home from a Christmas outing with her family when the shooting incident occurred at the Ajah axis of Lagos.
The incident has sparked widespread outrage, and Vandi has been suspended and is currently in detention.
On Friday, he was charged to court over the unlawful killing of Raheem and remanded in Ikoyi correctional centre pending legal advice.
Falana, in a legal opinion, said the best tribute lawyers can pay to Bolanle is to mobilise Nigerians against police brutality.
He charged the NBA to compel the federal and state governments to implement the recommendations of the #EndSARS panels in order to address issues of police brutality.
The human rights lawyer suggested that the use of arms by police officers in the country should be “strictly regulated”.
“Nigerian lawyers must ensure that Mrs Bolanle Raheem does not die in vain like others who were dispatched to their untimely grave before her,” Falana wrote.
“Indeed, the best tribute that the NBA can pay to the deceased is to use her cold-blooded murder to mobilise the Nigerian people to end police brutality in Nigeria.
“To start with, police checkpoints must be removed from Nigerian roads. The roads should be patrolled by combined teams of officers from the police and road safety commission.
“The use of arms by policemen on duty should be strictly regulated according to the service rules. Non-lethal options such as batons, tear gas, water etc should be employed in dispersing crowds”
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