The home of Lagos-based lawyer, Mrs Bolanle Raheem who was hacked down by the bullets of a trigger-happy cop has been receiving guests since the unfortunate incident on Christmas Day.
One of such is the Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo who quietly called in last week Wednesday to condole and pray with the family even though aides say he has been away on vacation since Christmas Day when he preached at the Aso Villa Chapel.
The murder of the late Bolanle on Christmas day has sparked reactions from Nigerians from different walks of life, including condolences for the family and prayers for the repose her soul.
The VP during the phone call made from his vacation spot also assured the deceased family of justice and prayed God to give them the fortitude to bear the loss. It is said that the late Bolanle was a member of the Olive Parish of the RCCG in Ikoyi, where Prof. Osinbajo used to be a Pastor up until 2015 when he took office as Vice President.
Alongside the President, it would be recalled that the Vice President 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. Before then the VP while acting as President had directed an overhauling of SARS in line with his pro-rule of law stance, disdain for extrajudicial killing and his outright condemnation of police brutality.
The VP 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. Arising from those panels hundreds of millions has been paid as damages and compensations, even as the administration is expected to do more.
Aside the VP, other prominent Nigerians who have either visited the Raheem family or sent condolence messages include, Lagos State Governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu; Presidential Candidate of the PDP, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar; the Inspector General of Police, IGP Usman Baba and Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Abiodun Alabi, among others.
It would be recalled that last Tuesday, Gov. Sanwo-Olu sent a delegation, to condole with the family at their home in Ajah.
Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Moyo Onigbanjo, SAN, who led the delegation said, “We have the permission of Mr Governor to tell you that justice will be done in this matter. The matter will be charged to court as soon as the police send us the case file.
“I will be leading the prosecution to show the seriousness the government attaches to this matter.”
In the same vein, the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, also last Tuesday paid a condolence visit to the family to commiserate with the deceased husband.
In seperate condolence messages to the deceased family, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar and IGP Usman Baba expressed sadness over the killing of the late lawyer.
On his part, Omoyele Sowore, the presidential candidate of the African Action Congress, in a condolence message expressed shock and sadness, condemning the killing of the lawyer.
Human Rights Lawyer, Femi Falana, also joined notable Nigerians condemning the killing of the late lawyer and called on the Nigerian Bar Association to ensure justice prevailed.
The calls and condolences assures the family of justice regardless of the fears expressed in some quarters of a planned cover up by the police authorities.
NAN reports that Mrs Raheem, who was pregnant, was fatally shot on Christmas day by a police officer attached to the Ajiwe police division in the Ajah area of the state.