The Ogun State Police Command has refuted the claim that the death of the Divisional Police Officer, Ibara Police Station, Abeokuta, Olusegun Dada, is in connection with the arrest of a masquerader.
The Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Abimbola Oyeyemi, made this clarification on Sunday in a statement following speculations on the cause of death of the DPO.
Oyeyemi said Dada’s death had nothing to do with the arrest of the masquerader, who violated the directive of the state government on the gathering of many people.
The police had arrested a masquerader in Ijeja, Abeokuta for defying the ban on the gathering of many people to curb the spread of COVID-19 in the state.
Oyeyemi explained that the late DPO had been on the sick bed for over a month before the arrest of the masquerader.
The PPRO said the masquerader was arrested for violating the social distancing directives of the federal and state governments.
Oyeyemi insisted that the late DPO was not on duty when the masquerader was apprehended.
The statement read in part, “The attention of the Ogun State Police Command has been drawn to mischievous information circulating on the 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 masquerader, who violated the social distancing directives of the federal and state governments.
“The command wouldn’t have taken issues with those circulating the fake news, but the wrong and mischievous impression needs to be clarified.
“The late DPO had been on the sick bed for the past one month, battling with an ailment, which later resulted in his untimely death.
“Contrary to what the mischief makers wanted the public to believe, the late DPO was not on duty when the said masequerader was arrested, because he was in hospital.
“The masequerader was arrested on Sunday, March 29, 2020, for violating the government’s directive, while the DPO was on the sick bed at the Federal Medical Centre, Idi-Aba, Abeokuta, until he breathed his last; he was not even aware of the said masquerader’s arrest.
“It will be ignorant of anyone to attribute the DPO’s death to the arrest of the recalcitrant masequerader just to attract traffic to blogs.
“Anybody, who might have had reasons to meet the late DPO when he was alive, would 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.”
The PPRO said the incident and the claim would not deter the command.
He added, “To those circulating the unfounded rumour, your mischievous information will not deter us from carrying out our constitutional duty.
“If pastors and imams can be arrested for violating the government directive, no masquerader should think of being above the law.
“May the good Lord bless the soul of our departed officer and console his family and friends.”

By Daud Olatunji