Police disband squad blamed for death of Ogun footballer

The Nigerian Police Force has disbanded its zonal intervention squad in Ogun state over the killing of Tiamiyu Kazeem, a Remo Stars FC player.

Men of the squad were said to have arrested the deceased before he died under controversial circumstances.

Mohammed Adamu, the inspector general of police, announced that the squad had been disbanded after he accompanied Dapo Abiodun, governor of the state, on a visit to the parents of the deceased in Sagamu, on Tuesday.

The footballer was allegedly pushed out of a vehicle by policemen who had mistaken him for a suspected internet fraudster (Yahoo boy), before he was hit by an incoming vehicle on Saturday.

Adamu, represented by Peter Ogunyonwo, a deputy inspector general of police, said the officers involved have been arrested and handed over to the state police command.

He said the operatives were on illegal duty and did not obtain clearance from the police formation in Sagamu before they embarked on the operation.

Ogunyonwo said the death of the footballer would prompt the police to carry out more reforms, adding that a full investigation would be carried out to bring those involved to justice.

In his remarks, the state governor appealed to the people to desist from violence.

He called for calm in the area as he vowed to deploy available government instrument in ensuring that justice is served.

“We will use every means possible, not only to ensure that justice is served, but that it is seen to have been served. We’ll ensure that this will be the last of such avoidable deaths in the hands of security officers in our state,” he said.

Also in attendance during the visit was  Kenneth Ebrimson, the state commissioner of police, and David Tuska, the state director of the Department of State Services (DSS).