The Ebonyi State Police Command has confirmed the sudden death of an Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP), Ogbon-Inu Taiwo Popoola, who reportedly collapsed during an official meeting in Abakaliki.
Confirming the incident on Thursday, the Command’s spokesperson, SP Joshua Ukandu, said the senior police officer died after experiencing a medical emergency while attending a management meeting on Wednesday.
According to Ukandu, ACP Popoola suddenly developed breathing difficulties during the meeting and was immediately rushed to a nearby hospital for urgent medical attention.
“We were in a meeting when the ACP suddenly had a medical challenge. He was gasping for breath and was quickly taken to the hospital, but unfortunately, he did not survive,” Ukandu said.
The police spokesperson added that the late officer had shown no signs of illness prior to the incident.
“He was not known to be sick. If there were any health issues, he would not have been present at the meeting,” he noted.
Sources familiar with the incident told SaharaReporters that the collapse occurred at about 10:30 a.m. during a management meeting at the office of the Commissioner of Police in Abakaliki.
The sources said ACP Popoola, who was the Assistant Commissioner of Police in charge of the State Intelligence Department (SID), was promptly rushed to the Police Medical Centre at the State Police Headquarters, where medical personnel made efforts to revive him.
Despite attempts to resuscitate the senior officer, he was later pronounced dead by medical doctors.
Preliminary medical assessments, according to the sources, suggested that the cause of death was cardiac arrest linked to hypertensive heart disease.
The remains of the deceased have since been deposited at the mortuary of the Alex Ekwueme Federal University Teaching Hospital (AE-FUTHA 1) in Abakaliki.
The sudden passing of ACP Popoola has thrown the Ebonyi State Police Command into mourning, as colleagues described him as a dedicated and committed officer.
About the Author
