POLICE PROBE THE DEATH OF THREE CORPS MEMBERS

Ifedolapo Oladepo (Kano NYSC camp); and Ukeme Monday (Zamfara camp)
Femi Makinde and Adelani Adepegba

In line with the directive of President Muhammadu Buhari, police authorities have commenced an investigation into the death of three National Youth Service Corps members who died while serving in Kano, Zamfara and Bayelsa states.

The President had last week ordered an investigation into the circumstances that led to the controversial deaths of the three corps members.



A first class graduate of Transport Management, Ifedolapo Oladepo, had died during the NYSC orientation in Kano last week.

Another first class graduate of Petroleum Engineering from the University of Uyo, Ukeme Monday, reportedly died in Zamfara State orientation camp of a yet-to-be-ascertained ailment.

Another serving corps member, Okonta Samuel, was gunned down by suspected cultists in Rivers State while helping to facilitate the rerun election.

Our correspondent gathered on Monday that the Inspector-General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, had directed operatives of the Special Investigation Panel to carry out a comprehensive probe of the incidents.

The SIP headed by a retired Assistant Inspector-General of Police, Ali Amodu, was set up by the IG to handle high profile investigations in the country.

It was gathered that the panel had already contacted a renowned pathologist, Dr. Wilson Akhiwu, to assist in the investigations.

A source disclosed to one of our correspondents that arrangements had been made for the pathologist to fly to Abuja from Ibadan, Oyo State, and meet with the police detectives handling the case.

It was gathered that the investigators would start with the case of Ifedolapo, who reportedly died of kidney infection.

It was learnt that the police had made arrangements for her corpse to be exhumed for a thorough medical examination.

The NYSC authorities had claimed that Ifedolapo died of renal sepsis occasioned by an infection, but the police, it was gathered, were not convinced by the report, hence the move to exhume the body for further examination by the pathologist.

A source said, “A renowned police pathologist, Dr. Wilson (Akhiwu) would be flying into Abuja from Ibadan by Tuesday morning (today) to assist with the investigations. Arrangements have been concluded for the exhumation of Ifedolapo’s body for a thorough medical examination.

“The probe would present an independent report on what actually transpired because the NYSC has been giving conflicting reports. The parents are saying one thing; the NYSC is saying another thing and the President had ordered that an investigation should be conducted. The report will be very comprehensive.”

Meanwhile, the father of Ifedolapo, Mr. Wale Oladepo, has insisted that his daughter died of negligence by NYSC officials at the orientation camp.

Addressing a news conference in Osogbo, on Monday, the father of the deceased, who accused the NYSC of trying to cover up its negligence instead of owning up, insisted that his daughter never had urinary tract infection.

Specifically, he accused the Minister of Youth and Sports, Solomon Dalung, of trying to subvert the truth by twisting facts.

Reacting to the impending exhumation of Ifedolapo’s corpse, her father said the he would not comment until the NYSC answered the questions raised by the family.

He said, “Nobody has contacted the family on the issue of autopsy. The issue of autopsy should be the last thing to do because there are questions to be answered by the NYSC.

“The family needs to know what happened to Ifedolapo between 8am when she reported to the NYSC and 4am the following morning when she died. I will not say anything on the issue of autopsy now until answers were provided to the questions we have put to NYSC officials.

“The family was not allowed to check her body. It was when we got to the graveyard that the casket was opened for the family to see.