Few days after Policemen invaded an area in Abeokuta, and intentionally shot two young people, another set of the Nigerian police operative Saturday allegedly killed rising football star Tiyamiyu in Sagamu, also in Ogun state.
Like it happened days back, angry residents, mostly youths, took to the streets over the alleged murder of the young footballer, who played for former Nigeria Professional Football League side Remo stars.
He was said to have been shot along the Abeokuta-Sagamu Expressway by an operative of Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARs) who suspected him of being an internet fraudster (Yahoo boy).
Angered by the incident, which happened at Orile Imo area, along the expressway, angry youths in Sagamu staged a protest, chanting anti-SARS slogans and demanding sanctions for the “killer” cop.
The angry protesters stormed the palace of Akarigbo of Remoland, Oba Babatunde Ajayi, to lodge complaints.
Confirming Kazeem’s death to journalists, the Media Manager of Remo Stars Football Club, Oladimeji Oshode, said the deceased was the club’s assistant captain and defender.
Oshode, in a statement, said the incident happened while the late Kazeem was driving along Sagamu area with one of his teammates, Sanni Abubakar.
He described the death of the footballer as a great loss to Remo Stars family and the entire football industry in the state.
Oshode said, “According to an eyewitness, the SARS officer stopped the footballer to label him a yahoo boy and they insisted on taking him to the nearby police station.
“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, whereby an unknown vehicle knocked him down.”
Oshode disclosed that Kazeem was immediately rushed to Fakoya Hospital in Sagamu, where he was confirmed dead.
The state command’s Spokesman, Abimbola Oyeyemi, said the late footballer died while trying to escape after he had been arrested.
Oyeyemi disclosed that Kazeem was knocked down by a hit-and-run driver when he attempted to cross the highway.
According to him, the footballer was arrested for wearing a military cap and not on the suspicion of internet scam.
He disclosed that the deceased was not arrested by SARs operative but an inspector attached to the Zonal Intervention Squad (ZIS), Obada, and not a SARS operative.
Oyeyemi said, “Somebody gave the policeman an information that the deceased usually put on military wears and often oppressed people with it. He saw the boy wearing military cap and he arrested him and took him into his vehicle.
“On their way to Abeokuta, his vehicle developed mechanical fault. He (policeman) parked and tried to rectify it. In the process, the suspect who was not handcuffed, jumped out of the vehicle and took to his heels. While crossing the road, an oncoming vehicle crushed him to death along the expressway. The vehicle did not stop.”
Oyeyemi also said the operative had been taken into custody at Owode-Egba division and would be transferred to the police headquarters for further investigation.
