Valentine’s Day tragedy: Assistant Commissioner of Police drowns in Lagos pool

TRAGEDY struck the Nigeria Police Force community yesterday as the Area Commander in charge of Area K Police Command, Morogbo, Mr. Osung Ekpo, an Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) died mysteriously while swimming in an undisclosed hotel in the city, as he was celebrating the Valentine’s Day with some of his friends.

A police source told The Guardian that the incident “was the worst valentine gift for the police.” The Area Commander allegedly died in a swimming pool at a popular hotel in the Ajah area of Lagos during a hangout with some friends and got drowned.

The Guardian gathered that his corpse has since been deposited at the morgue, while investigations into his death is said to be ongoing. Eyewitnesses said he was rescued from the pool and was taken to the hospital but died few minutes later.

Ekpo was known for leading policemen to reclaim police land at Morogbo area of Badagry that was sold to unsuspecting members of the public by some land grabbers.

Ekpo, a gallant police officer had served at various units and divisions of the Nigeria Police. He was Divisional Police Officer (DPO) of several police divisions in Lagos. He had also served at the Nigeria Police Special Fraud Unit (SFU), Ikoyi, before he was promoted to the rank of an Assistant Commissioner of Police and posted to the north.

He was, however, transferred to Lagos State command and made the Area Commander of Area K Command, which covers Badagry, Seme border and its environs. His posting to that command was triggered by the growing rate of smuggling activities. He was said to have dared the smugglers and decimated them during the period he spent there.

Ekpo was known for leading policemen to reclaim police land at Morogbo area of Badagry that was sold to unsuspecting members of the public by some land grabbers.

The Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Superintendent of Police (SP), Dolapo Opeyemi Badmus, who confirmed the death via text message said: “We lost him to the cold hands of death while he was swimming in a pool yesterday night. The command is mourning this indefatigable officer. May his gallant soul rest in perfect peace.”

In a statement made available to The Guardian, Badmos said further: “The Lagos State Police Command regrets to announce the death of Assistant Commissioner of Police, ACP Osung Ekpo, who until his death was the Area Commander, Area ‘K’ Morogbo-Lagos.

“The death occurred on Sunday February 14, while having his routine swimming exercise in a pool.
ACP Osung Ekpo was enlisted into the Nigeria Police Force in 1990, and worked in various formations. He assumed his last duty post as Area Commander, Area ‘K’ Morogbo on November 14, 2013, a position he held until his untimely death.”