One dead as police officers open fire on football lovers in Ekiti

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Two unidentified police officers on Saturday night opened fire on football lovers in Ekiti State leading to the death of one while another is in critical condition.

The deceased who was identified as Olaoye Ayobami and others were said to be watching a live English Premier League match around 8 pm on Saturday at the Queen Court hotel in Ado-Ekiti, the state capital when the incident occurred.


The other victim identified as Idris Ismaila was said to be at the emergency unit of a private hospital in the state capital.


Tribune Online gathered that the trigger happy officers were in the state with a visitor for a function before they stormed the place and started shooting sporadically with the stray bullet killing one person.

It was further gathered that the police officers allegedly accompanied a retired Assistant Inspector General of Police to the facility.


A source who was at the scene when the incident happened said, “we were here as always to watch football during weekends and it was the game between Manchester United and West Brom when suddenly these two officers came alongside a man and began shooting.

“Everybody was running to safety and in the process, the bullets hit two persons. One died immediately and the other is in critical condition now.”

It was learnt that the said officers rushed the two victims to the hospital with their Hilux van but escaped for fear of being attacked by angry youths who stormed the premises of the Ekiti State Teaching Hospital (EKSUTH).

When contacted, The Ekiti State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), ASP Sunday Abutu who confirmed the incident said the affected officer was not from the state command.

He revealed that he had been arrested by the state police command, disarmed and detained for investigation and proper disciplinary action.

Abutu said, “we have been able to establish that there was a shooting on Saturday night at one hotel in Ado Ekiti. Two persons were hit and one had died while the second man is receiving treatment in the hospital.


“The policeman that was responsible had been arrested and now in our custody.

“The Commissioner of Police, Tunde Mobayo had ordered a thorough investigation into the shooting and that we have commenced with the assurance that justice will be served, I want our people to understand this.

“We are not going to hide anything. Though those involved are not from our command, the incident is within our jurisdiction and we promise that whoever is found culpable will be prosecuted accordingly.”

He said the corpse of the deceased had been deposited in the morgue