Widow of 52-year-old Assistant Superintendent of Police, Ojo Ayeni, who was crushed to death on a motorbike along Ado–Ijan Road in Ado Ekiti, Ekiti State, on Tuesday by a van of the Rapid Response Squad said her husband could have been rescued if the policemen had immediately taken him to a hospital for medical assistance and prevented him from losing much blood.
WITHIN NIGERIA had reported that the late ASP, who was riding on a bike was crushed by the RRS van on speed chasing suspected internet fraudsters from opposite direction.
The state Police Commissioner, Tunde Mobayo, however, said the accident was caused by a mechanical fault to the police van, occurred in the process of responding to a distress call over activities of cultists.
The late ASP had five children–four from his first marriage and one from the wife second, 38-year-old, Angela.
According to PUNCH, teary-eyed widow of the late ASP, Angela, said “Although I was not at the scene, the information I got was that, after the accident happened, the RRS men carried him from the scene, when they got to the NNPC area along the Ado–Ijan Road, despite the injuries and the bleeding, they parked there and began to argue among themselves.
“After that, they took him to the office and then to a hospital. If they had taken him to hospital immediately to get necessary attention at hospital, even if he had injury, he could have been saved. Accident victims can have injury, but can be saved when treated quickly.
“The congealed blood in the van when I saw his lifeless body at the hospital was too much. When I carried my husband’s body, my clothes were drenched in blood. ‘Na me the death killed (I am the one that has died). His death pained me deeply. This is a permanent injury to me,” the mother of one said.
She also raised the alarm over her husband’s phone, saying, “We have not recovered my husband’s phone and it has since been switched off. The phone was in his pocket when he left my shop. One of the people who carried the body into the van must have taken his phone.”
The wife added, “That Tuesday morning, he dressed up and went to work. But at about 4pm, he took a bike and went to his project site where some people were working for him. When he got there, he paid the workers and rode to my shop nearby. We discussed and he said he would not eat as he was not feeling hungry. He said he was returning to work at his division and I said he should take care of himself. He left not knowing that it was the last time I would see him alive.
“About an hour later, a commercial motorcycle rider came around and said a terrible accident had happened. He stated that some RRS operatives were pursuing some internet fraudsters (Yahoo boys) and in the process hit a policeman riding on a black bike. He said the accident was terrible and that the RRS operatives had put the policeman in their vehicle. I rushed there to confirm because my husband rode on a black bike when he came to my shop.
“When I got there, I saw the bike mangled. The RRS vehicle crossed from its lane to the other lane and hit my husband. I asked which hospital they took him to but nobody could say specifically until much later when I got wind that it was a police clinic. I went there to see him and take him to another hospital if need be for proper medical attention.
“When I got to the police clinic, it was his lifeless body I saw at the back of the van. There was blood everywhere. I went there, cried, prayed, attempted to wake him and held the lifeless body to myself. Later, they said they would take him to the mortuary. I said I would do that, but they said no. I followed them to mortuary.’’
The woman, who said life would never be the same again without her husband, said the love they shared was great.
“His death is a permanent scar, an injury on me, but I don’t have a choice. It is only water I have been able to drink since he died, no food goes into my mouth,” she said.
According to her, she and her husband prayed on the morning of the incident to avert death around the family following a dream he had overnight.
She said, “That Tuesday, when we finished our morning prayers, he said he remembered that he had a terrible dream where he saw himself digging heaps. I told him that it was a bad sign because whenever he had such a dream, he would be called from his town that somebody had died. I was worried and wondered aloud who would have to die in his town again. He said he would know the following day and we prayed to avert evil. After the prayer, he said some things and I asked why he said them but he replied me that he was only making clarifications and that no one would die.’’
Angela stated, “I will miss many things about him. Where we stay is a students’ area. He would always come to this place even if on duty to ensure security. He was always with me at the shop after closing from his station. He assisted me to sell and one would not believe he was a policeman.’’
She, however, appealed for assistance from government and police authorities, saying, “I want them to help me. I need help to cope and cater for my child. His children need help for progress and development. I also seek support to finish his hostel project.’’