Tunde Mobayo, the Commissioner of Police in Ekiti State, announced on Wednesday that an Assistant Superintendent of Police on a motorbike was killed in an accident involving the Rapid Response Squad’s van in Ado Ekiti, while eight other cops were injured.
Mobayo, who expressed his condolences for the officer’s death and sympathized with the injured, disputed allegations that the cop was crushed to death by a police van while on the lookout for suspected Internet fraudsters.
According to the CP, the accident was caused by a mechanical malfunction in the police van when the RRS operatives were on their way to respond to a distress call, according to a statement issued by the command’s Public Relations Officer, Sunday Abutu.
He said, “Around 6.30pm, a distress call was received from the DPO, Ikole Ekiti, by the RRS for reinforcement for the possible arrest of some suspected cultists, who have been terrorising the people of Ikole-Ekiti and its environs.
“Upon the receipt of the report, the RRS Commander deployed three patrol vehicles with adequate operatives in the area for the operation.
“Unfortunately, while on their way, one of the three patrol vehicles developed a mechanical fault, went off its lane and hit an oncoming motorcycle ridden by a policeman, who had closed from work and was returning home.
“The policeman was rushed to hospital for medical attention, but was confirmed dead by a medical doctor, while eight other RRS operatives in the patrol vehicle sustained varying degrees of injury and are currently in hospital receiving medical attention.”
According to Abutu, Mobayo expressed his condolences to the slain police officer’s family and prayed that God would grant him eternal rest.
The CP has visited the injured officers in hospital and will also pay a visit to the family of the deceased ASP, according to the PPRO.
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