The Ogun State Police Command has reacted to a viral video claiming that three other persons who were protesting over the killing of a footballer in Sagamu, Tiamiyi Kazeem, were also killed by an unidentified policeman on the day of the incident to the knowledge of the then DIG Peter Ogunyanwo and the perpetrators have not been brought to justice.
The spokesman of the Command, DSP Abimbola Oyeyemi, disclosed this in a statement.
It was learnt that the faceless individual who claimed to be resident in America posted the video regarding the unfortunate incident of February 22, 2020, that led to the death of Kazeem.
According to the PPRO, in the said video, the individual displayed the picture of retired DIG Ogunyanwo sitting beside the Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun, during his condolence visit to the deceased family.
Oyeyemi said the individual falsely claimed that three other persons who were protesting the killing of Kazeem were also killed by an unidentified policeman on the day of the incident to the knowledge of the DIG and the perpetrators have not been brought to justice.
He said: “The command therefore wishes to set the record straight for the sake of our highly revered DIG who has since retired from service after years of meritorious service to his fatherland, and therefore deserves a respected peaceful retirement life.
“It is recalled that following the unfortunate incident, DIG Peter Ogunyanwo, who incidentally happens to be an indigene of Sagamu, came in his capacity as DIG South West on the order of the Inspector-General of Police for an on the spot assessment in the course of which he accompanied the state governor to the deceased’s family on condolence visit.
“It is therefore a thing of surprise for anyone to in anyway ascribe the killing of any protester to the DIG who came days after the whole incident.
“Moreover, the command did not receive any report whatsoever about the death of any other person in connection with the incident.
“Meanwhile, the policeman involved in the death of the footballer has since been dismissed from the Force and is currently undergoing prosecution in court on charges of culpable homicide.”
Oyeyemi also said it is therefore ungodly for anybody to attempt to tarnish the good name of the retired DIG who was so concerned about the untimely death of the young footballer that he made sure the Zonal Intervention Squad, where the errant ex-policeman was attached, was disbanded immediately.
The PPRO also urged the general public to disregard the video in its entirety as the maker is only out to mislead and cause disaffection in the state, especially among the indigenes of Sagamu.
He stated that it is a deliberate attempt to smear the hard-earned reputation of the retired Deputy Inspector-General of police, an illustrious son of the state and a proud indigene of Sagamu.
Oyeyemi noted that the command is “hereby using this medium to appeal to members of the public to desist from spreading fake news because the end result is always catastrophic, and anyone caught spreading such news will be made to face the consequences”.
He also said the state government has inaugurated judicial panel of enquiry to investigate any case of police brutality in the state.
He added that anybody who has any complaint should endeavour to approach the panel rather than spreading fake, misleading and mischievous news on the social media.