A Deputy Commissioner of Police serving with the Force Criminal and Investigation Department, Alagbon, Lagos State, Gbolahan Oyedemi, was found dead on Monday in his private house in the Ogbomoso area of Oyo State.
The PUNCH reports that Oyedemi was the aide de camp to the late former governor of the state, Adebayo Alao-Akala, during his 11-month tenure as de facto governor in 2006.
Although there were unconfirmed reports that the senior officer might have died of suicide, a PUNCH Metro source in Oyo State Police Command told our correspondent that the circumstances behind his death were under investigation.
A source close to the family told our correspondent on the telephone on Tuesday in Ibadan, the state capital, that Oyedemi, who frequented his hometown during the Easter celebrations, told his aides at the weekend to go to their various towns to celebrate with their family members.
The source said, “Yes, he committed suicide. His body was found hanging in his house yesterday (Monday). He stays alone, and he normally comes home for Easter celebrations.
“This time, he told his aides to go and celebrate with their family members in their various homes. Only God knows what could have prompted him to commit suicide.”
All efforts to get the reaction of the state Police Public Relations Officer, Adewale Osifeso, were unsuccessful, as his mobile number was unreachable when our correspondents contacted him for comment and confirmation on Tuesday.
However, a PUNCH Metro police source told one of our correspondents on Tuesday that “there are investigators from Abuja and here in Oyo currently at the scene for preliminary investigation to unravel the circumstances surrounding his death.
“They are currently gathering their facts. A statement will certainly be issued once the preliminary investigation is concluded. It is hard to say the man committed suicide if the investigation is not concluded.”
Corroborating the PUNCH Metro police source, the Police Public Relations Officer of the Force Criminal Investigation Department, Alagbon, Eguaoje Funmilayo, who confirmed Oyedemi’s death, maintained that it was difficult for anyone to conclude his cause of death, stressing that the circumstances surrounding his death were still sketchy.
Funmilayo said, “No one can tell specifically what the cause of his death is until an investigation is carried out. There is no official statement from the Inspector General of Police yet.
“So, I won’t be able to tell you anything about it for now. No official statement is approved by the IG.”