Ogun traffic officers kill Okada rider for driving on uncommissioned road

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.