Cooling their heels in the police cell at Ogun state are four suspects identified as Jelili Ismaila, 22; Amidu Bankole, 34; Elijah Samson, 36; and Moses Proboye, 34 for allegedly beating a police constable to death.
The incident which took place in Dalemo, Sango, in the Ado-Odo-Ota Local Government Area of the occured after the yet-to-be identified constable who was escorting his principal from Idah in Kogi state to Lagos State got into an argument with a truck driver over a reckless driving.
Trouble started when the truck driver who reportedly drove recklessly almost hit the vehicle being escorted by the police man and when the truck, in avoiding not to hit the escorted vehicle, ran into a deep pothole and one of the tyre got punctured.
It was reported that at this juncture, the police escort alighted to warn the truck driver to avoid driving recklessly so as not to endanger the lives of other road users.
But rather than heed to the warning, the truck driver instead accused the vehicle being escorted of being at fault and thus mobilized hoodlums to beat the police man.
The Ogun state Police Command on Monday, through the Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Abimbola Oyeyemi said four suspects have been arrested in connection with the death of the police man which took place on Sunday.
Oyeyemi said, “Preliminary investigation revealed that the deceased officer and one other escorted their principal from Idah in Kogi State to Lagos State. On their way passing through Sango Ota, a truck driver, Jelili Ismaila, drove dangerously and almost pushed their vehicle off the road.
“While trying not to hit the vehicle conveying the officers, the truck entered a pothole as a result of which its tyre got punctured.
“This made the two policemen to come down and caution the truck driver to always be mindful of other road users. But the driver accused them of being at fault, thereby mobilising hoodlums who attacked the officers and their principal with weapons and beat the deceased to a coma.
“Having realised that the policeman may not survive the attack, the driver and his hired hoodlums took to their heels. But luck ran out on four of them when the DPO and his men on a tip-off stormed their hideout and got them arrested, while four others escaped.
“The remains of the deceased officer have been deposited at the General Hospital Ota mortuary.”