An Assistant Superintendent of Police in Ogun State has been detained following the fatal shooting of a 26-year-old security guard at a company facility in Itori, with another guard reportedly sustaining gunshot wounds.
The officer, identified as Rotimi Richard Ajayi, was reportedly detained after the incident at TSL Halogen Company on October 14. The case was subsequently transferred from Itori Police Station to the Ogun State Police Headquarters in Eleweran, Abeokuta, where investigations are continuing.
The circumstances surrounding the shooting remain contested, with a company staff member and the deceased guard’s father providing different accounts of what happened.
A staff member identified as Abayomi described the incident as an accidental discharge, saying the guards had suspected an intruder and that the deceased went to alert the police officer assigned to the location.
According to that account, the shooting occurred as the individuals attempted to respond to the suspected security threat.
The deceased’s father, Ayineka Oluwashola, however, alleged that the officer opened fire after the guards woke him from sleep over the suspected robbery.
He said the family was initially given a different explanation for his son’s injuries before learning that he had been shot.
The father also alleged that the deceased was shot in the neck, while the surviving guard sustained injuries to both hands. The injured guard was reportedly receiving treatment at an undisclosed hospital.
The family said it had submitted a statement at the state police headquarters seeking justice and had been unable to gain access to the detained officer.
The conflicting accounts underline the need for a thorough investigation to establish the sequence of events, determine how the firearm was discharged and establish whether any criminal or disciplinary wrongdoing occurred.
The reported detention of the officer does not amount to a determination of guilt. The findings of the investigation and any subsequent legal proceedings will be important in establishing responsibility.
The incident also raises broader questions about firearm safety, the supervision of officers assigned to private facilities and the procedures followed when security personnel respond to suspected criminal activity.
Authorities are expected to clarify the circumstances of the shooting as the investigation progresses.