Tragedy as police officer die, others injured in RRS patrol accident in Ekiti
• Chief, others regain freedom after payment of N4 million ransom
Ekiti State Police command has been thrown into mourning following the death of an Assistant Superintendent of Police, whose identity was yet to be revealed, in an accident involving a Rapid Response Squad (RRS) patrol vehicle along Ado-Ijan road, in the state.
Spokesperson for the command, Sunday Abutu, in a statement yesterday, said the Commissioner of Police, Mr. Tunde Mobayo has mourned the death of the officer.
According to the police account, the Command on the 28/12/2021 received a distress call from the DPO Ikole -Ekiti for reinforcement for the possible arrest of some suspected cultists who have been terrorising people of the town and its environs.
“Upon receipt of the report, the RRS Commander deployed three patrol vehicles with adequate operatives to that axis for the operation.
“Unfortunately, while on their way, one of the three patrol vehicles developed a mechanical fault, went off its lane and hit a policeman riding on an oncoming motorcycle.
“The Policeman had closed from work and was returning home. He was rushed to the hospital for medical attention, but was confirmed dead by a medical doctor.
“ Eight other RRS operatives in the patrol vehicle sustained injuries and are currently in the hospital receiving medical attention,” the statement read.
Abutu said that the Commissioner has visited the injured police officer in the hospital and would also visit the family house of the deceased ASP to sympathise with them.
The Police spokesperson, however, denied report in a daily newspaper that the RRS patrol vehicles were pursuing some Yahoo boys who were on the run.
MEANWHILE, a traditional Chief in Ijan Ekiti , Gbonyin Local Council of the state, Chief Emmanuel Obafemi and two other kidnapped cocoa merchants have been freed by their captors after paying a cumulative sum of N4 million as ransom.
The victims were said to have been released along Ado- Akure road around 3:00a.m. on Wednesday and had reunited with their families.
A family source confided in newsmen in Ado Ekiti yesterday that Obafemi paid a sum of N2 million before being let off the hook.
“I can confirm to you that Chief Obafemi paid N2m while the two other cocoa merchants paid another N2m making a total of N4m before they were released around 3:00a.m. today (Wednesday),” the source said.
Also, the Police Public Relations Officer, Sunday Abutu, confirmed the release of the abductees, saying they had since rejoined their families.
“They were released around 3:00a.m. this morning (yesterday). They are now with their families safe and sound,” he said.
Recall that Obafemi was abducted on his farm located along Ado-Ijan road last Thursday and taken to an unknown destination.
On the other hand, the two cocoa merchants, who are residents of a farmstead called Ilupeju-Ijan, were picked up on Saturday along Ijan-Ise road.
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