The policemen attached to Ikere Area Command had reportedly illegally detained Ojo’s brother and after talking to him on the phone, Ojo was asked to come to their checkpoint and identify himself as a soldier.
A soldier of the Nigerian Army, Lcpl Ojo Tope, tragically lost his life in an accident in Ikere Ekiti, Ekiti State. According to reports, the deceased, who served with the 322 Artillery regiment in Benin City, was en route to meet policemen who had reportedly arrested his brother unlawfully.
The incident occurred around 10 pm on Wednesday when Ojo was summoned by the police to identify himself as a soldier at their checkpoint. However, on his way to comply with the request, Ojo was involved in an accident.
A relative of the deceased narrated the events leading to Ojo’s death, explaining that he was sent by his soldier brother to purchase fuel for their generator but was detained by policemen. Despite explaining his situation, the police allegedly refused to release him. When Ojo was contacted and asked to intervene, he had an accident while on his way to meet the policemen.
Efforts to transport Ojo to the hospital were hindered by the police, who reportedly seized the brother’s car. Despite attempts to secure the vehicle for Ojo’s transportation, he tragically passed away before reaching the hospital.
Although some residents expressed anger and considered protesting the police’s actions, the family managed to calm the situation.
When reached for comment, the spokesperson for Ekiti State Police Command, DSP Sunday Abutu, denied the allegations against the police, labeling them as “a lie from the pit of hell.” He clarified that no such incident was reported in any police station in the state. Additionally, he stated that the only vehicle confiscated that night was an unregistered Toyota Camry. He urged anyone with genuine complaints against police conduct to report to the appropriate authorities for action.