By DAUD OLATUNJI
ABEOKUTA— Tragedy struck, yesterday, after 15 officials of Ogun state Traffic Compliance and Enforcement Corps, TRACE, in Abeokuta, beat a man identified as Samuel Adoke, to death for driving on a road that is yet to be commissioned.
An eye-witness told Vanguard that the incident occurred about 9a.m. at Oke-Sokori when the TRACE officials flagged down Adoke who was ridding an Okada on the yet to be commissioned six-lane road, but he allegedly ignored them.
Vanguard gathered that the officials, in annoyance, pursued the man, who reportedly maintained his ground that there was no other route through which he could access his house except passing through the road which had been barricaded.
The source added that the officials claimed the man ignored the road diversion signs placed on the six-lane road expected to be commissioned by Governor Ibikunle Amosun on Monday.
The TRACE officials were also said to have immediately fled the area after the death of Adoke,a father of two and an employee of a new generation bank in Abeokuta.
Leader of the TRACE’s team that allegedly committed the crime was identified as Gabriel Odunlami while the squad was identified as Ranger squad.
One of the TRACE officials who allegedly killed the man was, however, apprehended by the police and was said to have been remanded at the Ibara Police Divisional headquarters in Abeokuta.
The state Police Public Relations Officer, Muyiwa Adejobi, confirmed the incident after efforts to get the Corps Commandant of TRACE ,Ayo Sangofadeji, to comment failed.
Adejobi, however, stressed that Ogun State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Okoye Ikhemefuna had ordered full investigation into the matter.
Meanwhile, the Ogun State Police Command, yesterday, said it arrested four armed robbery suspects with seven pump actions, 26 AK 47 magazines,20 live cartridges, 328 AK ammunition and charms in the Ifo Local Government Area of the state.
The command also apprehended three suspects with vandalised NITEL cables in Iperu, in Remo-North Local Government Area.
The Police Public Relations Officer, Muyiwa Adejobi, gave these figures in Abeokuta, the state capital.
Adejobi named the suspected robbers as Ugochukwu Anih, Ndubuisi Kingsley, Ismail Raman and Ayomide Adedoyin while Balogun Abiodun, Lateef Muritala and Sheu Sulaiman were the suspected vandals.
Adejobi said the suspects would be charged to court after investigation.
