The Ogun state police command has reacted to the death of Tiyamiyu Kazeem a young footballer allegedly killed by an operative of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) in Shagamu, Ogun State on Saturday.
Kazeem, popularly known as ‘Kaka’ who until his death, was a player with the Remo Stars Football Club based in Sagamu, The Witness learnt was said to have been shot along the Abeokuta-Sagamu Expressway.
The Media Manager of Remo Stars Football Club, Oladimeji Oshode, who confirmed the incident, said the deceased was the club’s assistant captain and a defender.
Oshode, in a statement posted on social media, said the incident happened while the late Kazeem was driving along Sagamu area with one of his teammates, Sanni Abubakar.
He said: “According to an eyewitness, he claimed that the SARS officer stopped the footballer to label him a Yahoo Boy and they insisted on taking him to the nearby police station.
“The SARS officer stopped Tiyamiyu Kazeem insisting that he was a Yahoo Boy, he brought out his identity (ID) card to identify himself as a player of Remo Stars FC but the officer insisted on taking him to the nearest police station in Sagamu.
“Tiyamiyu and Sanni obliged, followed the SARS officers, only for them to notice that they were driving towards Sagamu-Abeokuta Expressway, then the guys questioned to know where the SARS officers were taking them to, but this prompted them to stop the car and push him (Tiyamiyu) out of the car, whereby an unknowing vehicle knocked him down.”
Oshode disclosed that Kazeem was immediately rushed to Fakoya Hospital in Sagamu, where he was confirmed dead.
But in a statement made available to The Witness on Saturday, the Ogun state police command however denied reports that the SARS operative made attempt to extort the late footballer.
Read the full statement below:
The Ogun state police command wishes to inform members of the public the fact behind the unfortunate incident that happened in Shagamu today 22nd February 2020 which led to the unfortunate death of a young man who is simply identified as “Kaka”.
A police inspector attached to zonal intervention squad Obada oko in Abeokuta said to have received an information about the deceased that he always put on military apparels knowing fully well that he is not a military personnel. Based on the information, the inspector went to shagamu and saw the deceased puting on a military cap consequent upon which he got him arrested.
On the way to Abeokuta, the vehicle they were traveling with developed a mechanical fault and while the officer was trying to rectify the fault, the arrested person jumped down from the vehicle to escape. In his bid to run across the road, an on coming vehicle which is on high speed knocked him down and he died on the spot.
Meanwhile, the commissioner of police Ogun state police command has ordered the immediate arrest of the officer for his unprofessional act of leaving an arrested person alone in the vehicle . A full scale investigation into the case has commenced by state criminal investigation and intelligence department.
Meanwhile, normalcy has been restored as members of the public has been assured of proper investigation of the case.
– DSP ABIMBOLA OYEYEMI PPRO OGUN STATE POLICE COMMAND.