Taiye Atobiloye, a policeman serving under the Kwara State Police Command, has died in a cell at the D Division of Kogi Police Command, following his detention for “absconding” from duty.
WikkiTimes gathered that the deceased officer was detailed for eight days. According to the police, he was absent from duty for two days at Zone 8, Lokoja, Kogi State capital, where he was posted for a month of special service.
Atobiloye’s condition was said to have worsened in the cell before he died mysteriously.
The Command, according to a Punch report, has a monthly routine deployment of officers from every division for special duty.
“Atobiloye, who was attached to the Oke Onigbin Division, was part of the policemen posted to the Zone 8 Command, Lokoja, but when he resumed, he didn’t come for work for two days and was punished by being detained in a cell for about eight days.
“It was when policemen checked on him in the cell that they realised he had slumped and died in the cell. At the cell he was detained, only offending policemen are usually detained there, so it is likely he was alone in the cell,” said a source.
Spokesperson for Zone 8, Ruth Awi, confirmed the incident, claiming late Atobiloye, after reporting for special duty at the command, absconded from duty for two days before he was later found drunk.
She explained that the deceased officer was detained to get recuperated before he could explain where he had gone.
“He was not detained at the Zonal Headquarters, he was detained at the D Division in Lokoja. He reported at the Zonal Headquarters and then disappeared into thin air; there are punishments for people who abscond from duty without any excuse. But in his case, he did not only stay away from work, he was drunk when he was found,” Awi said.
