A top police officer who tried to apprehend the driver of a commercial bus that was speeding, has fell off and smashed his head on the ground and died after the driver applied brakes suddenly.
Inset photo is for illustrative purposes only
A 40-year-old driver, Moshood Ekunsumi, has been arrested by the Police for allegedly killing a Police inspector, Stephen Nzerem, on the Apapa-Oshodi Expressway. The suspect’s conductor, who is at large, has also been declared wanted by the Nigeria Police Force in connection with the death.
It was learnt that Ekunsumi, a father of three, plied the Airport Road area and had resumed duty on the fateful morning. However, a police team was said to have flagged down the bus along the road, with the aim of going on an operation with it.
The driver, who immediately sensed what they were up to, drove off. But the deceased reportedly jumped onto the vehicle to apprehend the driver. The driver was said to have taken the victim away and was speeding when another vehicle crossed his path and he stepped on the brake pedal.
It was learnt that although both the policeman and the conductor were flung off the bus as the brake was applied, only the inspector died. His skull was said to have been smashed by an oncoming trailer and he died on the spot.
The driver and the conductor were said to have fled the scene and abandoned the bus. The police, however, arrested the owner of the vehicle.
The bus owner, Otaru Joseph, said he had cautioned the driver over his conduct.
"But he did not listen to me. After the incident happened, I thought he would also call me to let me know what happened, but instead, he called and said my vehicle was involved in an accident and cut the call.
He didn’t call again and he switched off his mobile phones. He fled to Ondo State where he thought nobody would get him. I was the one that was first arrested and detained. I would have suffered and died over what I knew nothing about."
The arrested driver, Ekunsumi said his action was not intentional.
"I did not do it intentionally. It was not the first time that the police would hijack our vehicle for their operation. But that day, I did not know what happened to me. The policeman just clung to the vehicle and because I was on motion, I could not stop. I applied the brakes and he fell off the bus and died. I regret my action."
The suspect, was, however, arraigned before an Ebute-Meta Magistrate’s Court on two counts of murder.