While condoling with the Commissioner of Police, Ajimobi said he learnt of the incident on arrival from Abuja and decided to come to the scene.
He commended the police authority for their patriotic effort and their professionalism, noting that in the past, Oyo State was synonymous with violence where innocent people were killed, but his administration had ensured peace and security of lives and property since 2011.
He expressed happiness that the police commissioner had aligned with the state government in its determination to make Oyo a peaceful state.
“We are happy that the state is now regarded as one of the peaceful states in Nigeria, and I support you fully. The state government will continue to support you in our efforts to make sure that Oyo remains a peaceful, law-abiding state, not a state of criminals,” Governor Ajimobi said.
He also condoled with the families of the victims, particularly the DPO, promising that the state would do everything possible to alleviate the associated problems or challenges that could accompany the brutal murder of the gallant officer.
He seized the opportunity to appeal to people to avoid violence, saying that progress could only be achieved in a peaceful environment.
The governor also made reference to the Soka saga, saying that most of the noises that came from it were false. He said the people tried to do same thing at Adekile area on Wednesday, tasking the police to use the opportunity created by the unfortunate incident to get to the root of the problems of those who start the mayhem. He promised the support of the state government.
Meanwhile, the Commissioner of Police in Oyo State, Muhammad Musa Katsina, has vowed to remain at Adekile with his officers and men until the last man behind the murder of the Divisional Police Officer in charge of Agugu police station, Ike Nworgu, is identified and dealt with.
This is just as he called on leaders of the community where the unfortunate incident occurred to bring out the criminals domiciled in their area or be ready for whatever problem followed the killing of the police officer.
It will be recalled that the DPO was killed, on Wednesday, at Adekile area of Ibadan, by an irate mob, when he pleaded with them not to burn a building whose owner was alleged of running a kidnappers’ den with underground tunnel.
Briefing the governor of Oyo State, Senator Abiola Ajimobi, when he visited the scene of the incident on Thursday, the police commissioner said that the deceased DPO went to the scene in response to a distress call, only for him to be brutally murdered by those he came to protect.
“A woman came to lodge a complaint at the police station that her child was missing. The DPO followed her. When he came to the scene, he met some supposedly responsible elders of the community. All of them together with the DPO looked round the house and there was no sign of any activity that could corroborate what the woman reported,” Katsina told the governor.
He stated further that by the time the deceased officer finished the professional assessment of the alleged scene of crime, youths came from all angles chanting ‘second Soka’.
“The DPO attempted to address them, only to see that he had been held in between by the youths. He managed to call for reinforcement, but, unfortunately, before the reinforcement arrived, he had been killed. He was shot in the head,” he added.
Praying for the repose of the soul of the DPO, Katsina said the deceased acted gallantly before he died by using his service pistol to shoot a principal actor.
He said the DPO and the principal actor were taken to the hospital but died while undergoing treatment.
“Our special force arrived and was still confronted by the youths. At the end of the confrontation, 17 of them were arrested at the scene. 24 others were arrested on Thursday, totalling 41, through intelligence and we recovered the weapon used in firing the DPO,” he disclosed.
Describing the killing of the DPO as “a conduct that is excessively reckless,” Katsina told the governor that he had already commenced operation in this area.
“We will never allow a group of people to attack any law enforcement officer on duty or any innocent citizen and their property. The owner of the targeted house has been secured, he is in protective custody,” the police commissioner said.
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Crime