Evelyn Usman

Suspects in one of the cells at the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department (SCIID), Yaba, Lagos, woke up at the early hours of Wednesday to find the lifeless body of a policeman dangling from the ceiling.

He was said to have committed suicide in order to avoid trial.

The deceased cop was identified as Inspector Okon Essien.

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Late Essien, our correspondent gathered, was arrested on January 31 at Akodo area of Lagos, for allegedly shooting one Hassan Usman Stanley to death.

Police revealed that the deceased was arrested alongside his three colleagues – Insp. Lawrence Adegboye, Insp. Olorunloju Olusegun and Sgt.  Ovbioghi Joseph.

They reportedly intercepted four suspects – Samson Ugonah, Omachi Godwin, Hassan Usman Stanley, and Prosper Okoye, along Area 12, Offshore Oil, Dangote Refinery Project, in  Akodo area of the state.

However, Essien allegedly pulled the trigger, releasing a bullet that snuffed life out of one of the suspects, Stanley.

The spokesman of the state police command, Elkana Bala, who confirmed the incident, said: “Four of them were arrested and taken to the SCIID, Yaba, for investigation. While in custody, the said Insp. Okon Essien was alleged to have killed himself at 1.30 a.m., Wednesday. His corpse has been deposited at the mortuary for autopsy. The Commissioner of Police Lagos State, CP Hakeem Odumosu,  has ordered an in-depth investigation into the case. The investigation is ongoing”.

Vanguard