The Nigerian Police Force has denied the allegation that one of its officers beat an official of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, Jumbo Ogah, to death in Abuja.
Recall that on Wednesday March 20th, LIB shared a report of how Ogah was allegedly attacked and beaten up by police officers along Nyanya Highway in Abuja, for driving against traffic. It was alleged that Ogah died at the scene where he was attacked. Read here.
The spokesperson of the Nigeria Police Command, Frank Mba, held a press conference yesterday where he denied the allegation. According to him, Ogah violated traffic rules and was arrested by two Traffic Warden along Nyanya Highway in Abuja. He was taken to the police station where he slumped.
“It is usually unfortunate when any life is lost, it doesn’t matter the circumstances surrounding the loss of life, therefore, my explanation here should not be seen as an excuse, justification or a validation of the unfortunate incident. It should be seen as clarification and a sincere attempt to at providing the facts as I was given.
The facts as I was given indicate that the incident happened yesterday, about 9 am. The deceased who was later identified as a member of NSCDC was said to be driving along with members of his family precisely his wife. He was said to have disobeyed traffic regulations and accosted by two traffic wardens who are not conventional policemen.
On contravention, he was arrested and he drove himself to the police station with immediate members of his family who were with him at the time of arrest and a Traffic Warden in his own car. Traffic Wardens are not conventional Police Personnel that is why they wear yellow top for easy identification. They don’t bear arms either.
I was told that he drove himself personally to Nyanyan police station. He walked out of the car and they took him to the charge room and began to ask him questions. Simple preliminary questionss. It was in that process that he suddenly slumped. He was rushed to the hospital where he was eventually confirmed dead.
I was also told he was never in the full uniform of the civil defence as has been variously reported.
My personnel interaction with CP FCT reveals there was no sign of physical assault on the deceased.
However, the two traffic wardens involved are in detention pending autopsy to determine the cause of death,” he said.