Oyo Police Officer kills 2 with truck while attempting to take bribe

Operatives of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad, SARS, prevented what could have been a mob attack on the police by repelling angry residents who on Thursday attempted to attack the Durbar station of the Nigerian police in Oyo Town.Witnesses said officers of the Area Traffic office of the Nigeria Police were on duty oppositeArena Lounge when they flagged down a pick-up truck loaded with firewood. On the pile offirewood, were some passengers. The police officers asked why the driver was endangering livesby allowing people to sit on top of the firewood. He was asked to drop them all off at the checkpoint. He did.When asked for the vehicle papers, the driver had none. The police asked him to drive to thepolice station which was not up to 1 kilometer away but he refused, Muideen Olagunju, alawmaker in the Oyo State House of Assembly, who was briefed on the incident said.One witness, Iyabo Makinde, said the driver’s refusal to yield to demand, understood as anattempt to compel him to bribe the officers, infuriated one of the wardens, identified as Mr.Jeleel. The driver reportedly explained that he was returning from the farm and had no money.But Mr. Jeleel commandeered the truck, and attempted to drive it to the police station. He lostcontrol midway and ran the vehicle into a pole.The truck flipped and killed passersby instantly. A second person, Jamiu, who was injured, laterdied at the hospital on Friday.Mr. Jeleel was unhurt.“But other officers who I stood with fled instead running to the aid of those involved in theaccident,” she said.A group, Oyo Global Forum, condemned the incident and called for prosecution of Mr. Jeleel.The group said police had to “stop corrupt, disgraceful practice of extorting citizens to avoidangry reactions from people who have had to contend with the current socio-economicsituation”.Oyo police spokesperson, Adekunle Ajisebutu, confirmed the development Saturday morning.Mr. Ajisebutu said Mr. Jeleel and others on duty had been ordered to face orderly room trial.