The Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, has ordered the Homicide section of the Force Criminal Investigation Department (FCID), Abuja, to launch a comprehensive investigation into the alleged killing of Qoyum Abdulyekeen Ishola, a student at Kwara State Polytechnic, Ilorin.
The incident occurred on September 4, 2024.
A statement released on Monday by the Force Public Relations Officer, ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, identified the officers involved in the incident as Inspector Abiodun Kayode, Inspector James Emmanuel, and Sergeant Oni Philip, all from the Department of Operations, Kwara State Command.
Adejobi stated that the officers had been detained pending further investigation.
He said that the IGP expressed deep sadness over the tragic death, extending his condolences to Ishola’s family, friends, and colleagues.
He assured the public that justice would be served, emphasising that the police were committed to uncovering the truth behind the incident and ensuring accountability.
On Monday, SaharaReporters had reported that the Kwara State Commissioner of Police, Victor Olaiya, was accused of covering up the actions of officers who allegedly killed AbdulQoyum Ishola, a student of Kwara State Polytechnic, who was shot dead on Wednesday in Ilorin, Kwara State.
The deceased, a Kwara State Polytechnic student, was reportedly accosted by Nigerian police officers along Panat Road, a link between Sango and Shoprite in Ilorin.
The deceased’s brother, Abdullah, told SaharaReporters on Monday that the police are attempting to cover up the killing and have refused to name the three officers responsible for the crime.
He said, “The Kwara State police command is trying to cover up the incident, claiming that my brother was killed during a recent protest over the increase in fuel pump prices.
“My brother was shot on Wednesday and died in the early hours of Thursday after losing a lot of blood due to a severed vein at the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital (UITH). How could he have participated in the protest?”
He further explained that the officers involved were caught with his brother’s sneakers, which he had bought for his signing-out event at school, and his power bank.
He said, “It is unfortunate that those we trust with our safety are the ones killing us like chickens. We urge the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, to order the Kwara State Commissioner of Police to expedite the investigation and ensure the officers face justice.
“We heard that the Kwara State Commissioner of Police said the officers will be detained for two months before they are charged to court. This is a murder case, and those responsible have already been identified.”