Hyacinth Chinweuba
The Ogun Police Command has said that the Remo Stars footballer that died on Saturday was actually knocked down by a hit-and-run driver and was not killed by a policeman as widely reported.
According to earlier report, the Remo Stars Football Club (RSFC) Tiyamu Kazeem (Kaka) was killed by an operative of the Special Anti Robbery Squad (SARS), Ogun State Command.
The horrible scenario ensued on Saturday afternoon, 22nd February in Sagamu while he was driving in company of his teammate Sanni Abubakar along Sagamu area of Ogun State.
Earlier information claimed that the cop stopped the young athlete, mistakenly taking him for a Yahoo Boy and insisted on detaining him.
“The SARS officer stopped Tiyamiyu Kazeem insisting that he was a Yahoo Boy, he brought out his identity (ID) card to identify himself as a player of Remo Stars FC but the officer insisted on taking him to the nearest police station in Sagamu.”
“Tiyamiyu and Sanni obliged, followed the SARS officers, only for them to notice that they were driving towards Sagamu-Abeokuta Expressway, then the guys questioned to know where the SARS officers were taking them to, but this prompted them to stop the car and push him (Tiyamiyu) out of the car and an approaching vehicle knocked him down.”
He was swiftly taken to Fakoya Hospital in Sagamu for medical attention, where he was reported to have passed away.
Until his demise, Tiamiyu was known for his gentle mien and good conduct in the Nigeria National League (NNL).
In reaction, the state Police Public Relations Officer, Abimbola Oyeyemi, claimed in a statement on Sunday, February 23, 2020 in Abeokuta, that the information was false.
According to Oyeyemi, the late footballer, who was popularly known as Kaka, died while trying to escape after his arrest.
He claimed that the footballer was knocked down by a vehicle when he attempted to cross the highway.
According to him, the footballer was also arrested for wearing a military cap and not on suspicion of internet fraud.
He further pointed out that the operative, who arrested the deceased, was an inspector attached to the Zonal Intervention Squad (ZIS), Obada, and not a SARS operative.
“A police inspector attached to Zonal Intervention Squad, Obada-Oko, in Abeokuta, was said to have received an information about the deceased that he was always putting on military apparels knowing fully well that he was not a military personnel.
“Based on the information, the inspector went to Sagamu and saw the deceased putting on a military cap consequent upon which he got him arrested.
”On the way to Abeokuta, the vehicle they were traveling in developed a mechanical fault and while the officer was trying to rectify the fault, the arrested person jumped down from the vehicle to escape.
“In his bid to run across the road, an on coming vehicle which was on high speed knocked him down and he died on the spot,” he said.
Oyeyemi disclosed that the Commissioner of Police had ordered the immediate arrest of the officer for his unprofessional act of leaving an arrested person alone in the vehicle.
“A full scale investigation into the case by the State Crriminal Investigation and Intelligence Department has commenced,” he said.