The state Police Public Relations Officer, SP Abimbola Oyeyemi, who confirmed the development in a statement on Thursday, said the policemen were chasing a fleeing driver who allegedly knocked down a motorcyclist, Ganiyu Musiliu, adding that no life was lost in the incident.
Oyeyemi said, “The attention of the Ogun State Police Command has been drawn to a viral video circulating on social media and the false narrative given to the incident.
“The command wishes to state the fact as follows. On May 17, 2023, around 12pm, a Toyota Camry car, with number plate LSR 59 HS, driven by a mechanic apprentice, while at high speed, knocked down a motorcyclist, Ganiyu Musiliu, and instead of the driver to stop and take care of the seriously injured Okada rider, he fled.
“The vehicle was pursued by people around, and the police patrol team from the Igbeba Division, stationed along Molipa Road, was alerted about the car coming towards their end. The patrol team, having sighted the car, tried to block the driver from escaping and it resulted in the accident.”
Oyeyemi said the miscreants at the scene who were ignorant of the reason the policemen blocked the car made an attempt to attack the policemen, adding that the Divisional Police Officer, Obalende Division, dispersed his men to the scene.
“The injured Okada man was rushed to the state hospital in Ijebu-Ode, while the driver has been arrested. It is therefore a thing of surprise to read on social media that the policemen were chasing the car because they thought it was a Yahoo boy that drove it.
“The peddlers of the false narrative also alleged that the driver of the car died on the spot. The command hereby wishes to state that all these narratives are far from the truth as no life was lost and the whole incident has nothing to do with the issue of Yahoo boy,” the statement said.
Oyeyemi, however, said that the state Commissioner of Police, Olanrewaju Oladimeji, had ordered an investigation into the incident with a view to prosecuting anyone found culpable in the case.
He added, “The life of every citizen is worthy to be protected, including that of an Okada rider. Therefore, downplaying the incident because it happened to an Okada rider is the height of insensitivity.”
