Circumstances Surrounding Ondo Officer’s Untimely Death
The Ondo State Police Command has initiated an investigation into the mysterious death of Inspector Yusuf Suleiman Blessing, a 50-year-old officer from Ikoro-Ekiti, Ekiti State, who was serving at the Akotogbo Division in Irele Local Government Area. Inspector Blessing was reported missing on January 27, 2025, and his body was discovered two days later in a river, with his clothing intact and no immediate signs of violence, except for a swelling observed in the center of his head.
Initial reports from the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) suggested that Inspector Blessing had drowned. However, upon the arrival of his remains in a sealed coffin at his family residence in Osi community, Akure North Local Government Area, family members insisted on viewing the body. The officers who delivered the coffin reportedly fled when pressured to open it. Upon inspection, the family discovered that the body was burnt with a cracked skull, contradicting the initial drowning claim and raising suspicions of foul play.
In response to the family’s allegations and public concern, the Commissioner of Police, CP Wilfred Olutokunbo Afolabi, has ordered a comprehensive investigation, including an autopsy, to determine the exact cause of death. The Police Public Relations Officer, SP Funmilayo Odunlami-Omisanya, stated that preliminary investigations had classified the case as a sudden and unnatural death with no immediate suspicion of foul play. However, due to the family’s allegations, a full autopsy has been mandated.