A Nigerian police inspector, Ajele Oloyede, was reportedly shot and killed by a fellow officer, Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Tolorunloju Stephen, at a ceramics company in Igbesa, Ogun State, last Thursday.
Multiple sources within the Ogun State Police Command have contradicted the official narrative that Ajele died by suicide, revealing inconsistencies that suggest a cover-up attempt.
A leaked audio recording obtained by SaharaReporters captures a conversation between senior officers, indicating skepticism about the official report.
One officer, who is familiar with the case, dismissed the claim that Ajele took his own life, stating:
“We don’t know what happened between him and that ASP (Tolorunloju Stephen). That ASP used his pistol to fire Ajele instantly. But he denied it. Even the CP (Commissioner of Police) and DCI Mopol were telling him, ‘My friend, just tell us the truth. Either you killed him by mistake or intentionally. So tell us the truth, how did you kill Ajele?’”
The officer further challenged the suicide theory, pointing out contradictions in the evidence.
“What they sent to AIG Mopol was that Ajele killed himself where he was working. We told the AIG that it is not like that. Ajele went out with proper permission. It was the ASP that used his pistol to fire Ajele.
“So how come Ajele had a rifle to kill himself as they claimed? We told the CP, ‘Oga, Ajele never went out with a rifle. His rifle was with us. His uniform, his shoes, everything was with us. He took proper permission, and we booked him before he left that day.’”
According to another officer, forensic evidence does not support the claim that Ajele died by suicide.
“It was not suicide. The bullet penetration does not suggest suicide. If it were, he would have shot himself in the head.”
The motive behind the shooting remains unclear, but some officers suspect foul play.
“Ajele was attached to Golden Crown Company, almost the same compound as the ceramics company. Only God knows why he killed him. But I strongly believe it might have involved some deals,” the source added.
Following the shooting, ASP Stephen allegedly tried to control the narrative by being the first to report the incident.
“That was what the ASP did; immediately after committing the atrocity, he was the one who called others. Now, an investigation is ongoing, but if care is not taken, it will likely be swept under the rug. Yes, because such an ASP should already be under detention!”
Initially, Ogun State Police Command spokesperson Omolola Odutola told journalists that Ajele had committed suicide.
She stated that ASP Stephen, upon returning from Ikeja at around 1:20 p.m., found Ajele resting his head on a table.
“When asked about his well-being, Oloyede assured him that he was fine. After exchanging greetings, Stephen placed his bag and pistol on the table before stepping into the restroom,” Odutola stated.
According to her, a gunshot was heard moments later, and Stephen allegedly found Ajele in a pool of blood.
“With the help of private security personnel, the wounded officer was immediately taken to the Ota General Hospital, where he was later pronounced dead by the doctor on duty,” she added.
However, in an exclusive interview with SaharaReporters on Tuesday, Odutola adjusted her earlier statement, clarifying that it was based on preliminary findings.
“The report (of suicide) was given at the preliminary level of investigation. When a crime happens, the first thing we do is gather information from the first respondent. That was the narration given by the only person there (ASP Stephen),” she explained.
Odutola assured that a thorough investigation, including forensic analysis and an autopsy, was underway.
*”You should exercise a little patience. The case has left the divisional level and is now at the state headquarters in Eleweran, Abeokuta.
“This is where we will conduct a holistic examination—autopsy, forensic evidence, and witness accounts. A police officer has died, and someone has given an account, but we need to crosscheck everything. Is there a camera at the scene? These are the things we are looking into before issuing another press release.”*
Despite these assurances, police sources believe there is an effort to protect ASP Stephen from facing justice.
One officer expressed frustration over the situation, saying:
*”Instead of that ASP to just admit, ‘Oga, I killed him, but it was a mistake,’ he is denying it.
Even the CP asked him to tell the truth. However, instead, they plan to dismiss Ajele posthumously to tarnish his name and cover their tracks. We won’t allow it!”*
Another officer questioned why Stephen had not yet been detained.
“If it were a junior officer who fired that shot, he would have been behind bars by now. But this ASP is walking free. Why?”
Friends and colleagues of the deceased inspector rejected the idea that he had taken his own life, describing him as a responsible officer with no apparent reason to commit suicide.
“How can someone who owned three plots of land and had built a house just wake up one day and kill himself? Let us be reasonable—we are all human beings!” a senior officer argued.
One officer also disclosed that a colleague was punished for standing by the truth.
“The officer was issued a query over this, accused of ‘lack of supervision’ and ‘insubordination.’ But he defended himself; he explained that he granted the deceased permission to leave after his night duty to visit his family. He insisted that he had the authority to permit him to see his family!”
