Homicide detectives from the State Criminal Investigations and Intelligence Department (SCIID), Panti, Yaba, Lagos, have arrested a policeman, Sergeant Ukeme Asuquo, for allegedly inflicting machete cuts on an officer, Inspector Adekunle Ilesanmi Francis, causing his death.
Asuquo, attached to the Anti-Cultism Unit of the Lagos State Police Command, allegedly attacked Francis, attached to the Special Protective Unit (SPU), Ikeja, with a machete. The inspector later died at the hospital.
The cause of the quarrel, leading to Asuquo attacking the inspector, who was also his neighbour, is not yet clear, but neighbours alleged that sergeant had been a thorn in the flesh of most of them.
A source said: “The information I got is that the sergeant had been threatening neighbours in the house and vicinity. He drives a Camry car with no number plate, fully tinted glass and had once been reported at the Oke-Odo-Ile Epo Police Station but nothing was done to call him to order before he perpetrated this evil act.
It was learnt that there was a case of sexual harassment by Asuquo on the wife of the late inspector as alleged by the woman.
The source added: “On Thursday, about 10:30p.m., reports came that the suspect was on the rampage and had already inflicted injuries on the inspector who came to the rescue of his wife, who was claimed to be locked out by Asuquo when she went out of the gate to drop refuse in the garbage drum. The Divisional Police Officer (DPO) in charge of Oke-Odo-Ile Epo Police Station was already treating the matter before the inspector died.”
The state Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Bala Elkana, said the sergeant had been arrested and the case transferred to SCIID for investigation. Elkana said that the inspector died while preventing an unruly sergeant from killing co-tenants.
He added: “On June 4, about 8:10p.m., Azees Adebayo of No 8, Dosumu Street, Agbelekale, Oke-Odo, reported at Oke-Odo Police Station that Asuquo, a tenant in the same house, returned home and engaged other tenants in a fight. He inflicted machete cuts on the inspector, who was also a tenant in the house and trying to stop the sergeant from harming other civilian tenants.
“Ayodele Eyitayo, a tenant in the house sustained minor injury to his face. A team of policemen led by the DPO was promptly deployed to the scene. The injured persons were taken to hospital for treatment while the sergeant was arrested. While Eyitayo was treated and discharged, the inspector was admitted due to the severity of the injuries he sustained. The inspector, however, died on June 7, while on admission.”