A Vehicle Inspection Officer (VIO), Adediji Sesan, has been crushed to death by a truck driver who allegedly fled after being flagged down for a routine inspection in Akure, the Ondo State capital.
The incident occurred along Hospital Road, opposite Mega Primary School, throwing residents and the victim’s colleagues into distress.
The Ondo State Police Command confirmed the incident in a statement issued to journalists in Akure.
Spokesperson for the Police Command in the state, Jimoh Abayomi, said the deceased was on routine patrol with his team when he attempted to stop the vehicle for inspection of its particulars.
Abayomi, a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), said the driver, identified as Ayoade Idowu, 37, initially stopped but allegedly drove off when asked to produce the relevant documents, hitting the VIO officer in the process.
He explained that the victim sustained serious head injuries and was rushed to the Federal University of Technology Akure (FUTA) Teaching Hospital, where a doctor on duty confirmed him dead.
“His remains have been deposited at the hospital mortuary for preservation and autopsy,” he said.
Abayomi identified the vehicle involved as a white Mitsubishi van with registration number AGL 992 XX.
According to him, police have arrested and detained the driver, a resident of Gbogi Street, Akure, while investigations into the circumstances surrounding the incident are ongoing.
Abayomi added that police operatives visited the scene and are expected to transfer the case to the Motor Traffic Division for further investigation.
Meanwhile, the Commissioner of Police in the State, CP Felix Ohagwu, has expressed condolences to the deceased’s family, colleagues, and associates.
Ohagwu also assured the public that a thorough investigation would be conducted and that appropriate legal action would follow in accordance with the law.
He urged motorists to obey lawful traffic instructions and cooperate with authorised traffic enforcement officers, warning against actions that could endanger lives in attempts to evade routine checks.
Abayomi, however, reaffirmed the command’s commitment to road safety, protecting lives and property, and maintaining law and order across the state.
Credit: thenationonlineng.net
