The Ogun State police command on Sunday disclosed that the death of the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) in charge of Ibara Division was not as a result of the arrest of a masquerade, which flouted the government’s stay at home directive at the weekend.

According to the spokesman of the command, Abimbola Oyeyemi, the attention of Ogun State police command has been drawn to mischievous information circulating on social media attributing the untimely death of one of the finest, humble and dedicated officers of the command to the recent arrest of a recalcitrant masquerade who violated the social distancing directives of the federal and state government.

“The command wouldn’t have joined issues with those circulating the fake news but the wrong and mischievous impression needs to be clarified. The late DPO has been on sick bed for the past one month now battling with an ailment, which later resulted to his untimely death. Contrary to what the mischief-makers wanted the public to believe, the late DPO was not on duty when the said masquerade was arrested because he was in the hospital.

“The masquerade was arrested on Sunday, March 29, for violating the government directives while the DPO was on sick bed at Federal Medical Center, Idi Aba, Abeokuta, until he breathe his last, he was not even aware of the said masquerade’s arrest. It will be ignorant of anyone to attribute his death to the arrest of the recalcitrant masquerade just to attract traffic to his or her blog.

“Anybody who may have had reason to meet the late DPO when he was alive will attest to his humble and polite nature. He was an embodiment of what a gentleman officer should be and the Nigeria Police Force, Ogun State Police Command, in particular, will forever miss him.

“To those circulating the unfunded rumour, your mischievous information will not deter us from carrying out our constitutional duty no matter who is involved. If Pastors and Imams can be arrested for violating the government directives, no masquerade should think of being above the law”, Oyeyemi said.

Meanwhile, a police officer in the Abia State police command, identified as the Inspector Amadi Kingdom, has been shot dead by gunmen. Sources in Umuahia, the state capital, told newsmen that the deceased was killed in the early hours of Saturday.

The incident was said to have taken place at Ochendu bye-pass junction, off Ogurube layout at about 5:00a.m. while the police officer was returning from night duty.

Sources said the assailants, who were apparently on a robbery operation, fired the police officer on his stomach. The assailants were said to have made away with the police officer’s gun.

When contacted, the Commissioner of Police in the state, CP Eneh Okon, confirmed the incident. Okon said that the deceased, an Inspector of Police, was returning to the Police Headquarters, located along Bende Road after closing from night duty at the State Chief Judge’s quarters when he was ambushed and shot dead.

The state police boss said that the command had begun manhunt of the assailants. (The Guardian)

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