In a tragic incident on Saturday, December 2, a 300-level student of Ebonyi State University, Ayogu Evans, lost his life in a car crash while allegedly being chased by police officers.
The Ebonyi State Police Command provided details surrounding the unfortunate event in a press statement on Monday.
According to the police spokesperson, SP Onome Onovwakpoyeya, Evans was flagged down for a routine “stop and search” at a checkpoint on Nkaliki Road in Abakaliki, the state capital.
However, instead of complying, the EBSU student sped off, prompting the police officers to pursue him.
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The pursuit ended tragically when Evans had a ghastly accident along Oriuzor Road.
Passersby reportedly rushed him to the hospital, but he succumbed to his injuries a few hours later.
The police clarified that their officers did not run away after the accident; rather, they arrived on the scene after the student had already been taken to the hospital.
An anonymous source claimed that the police officers returned to move Evans’ wrecked car to their station at Liberation Estate.
However, the police spokesperson denied this, stating that the officers only towed the vehicle to the division’s station.
The police statement urged citizens to support law enforcement in carrying out their duties and encouraged reporting any unprofessional conduct by police officers on duty.
The Commissioner of Police, Ebonyi State Command, CP Augustina Ogbodo, assured student leaders that their concerns would be thoroughly investigated, and any misconduct would be sanctioned accordingly.
The public was reassured that disciplinary actions would be taken against any erring police officer.
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