An Assistant Commissioner of Police, Ogbon-Inu Taiwo Popoola, has died after slumping during a management meeting at the Ebonyi State Police Command in Abakaliki.
The incident happened around 11am on Tuesday at the command headquarters, according to a police source who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to speak to the media.
The source said Popoola, who was in charge of the State Intelligence Department before his death, suddenly began to experience breathing problems while the meeting was ongoing.
“He suddenly developed breathing difficulties and started gasping for air during the meeting,” the source said.
He was immediately rushed to the Police Medical Centre located within the command headquarters, where medical personnel attended to him.
Despite efforts by doctors to revive him, he was later confirmed dead.
Preliminary medical reports indicated that he died from cardiac arrest linked to hypertensive heart disease.
It was also gathered that his remains have been deposited at the morgue of the Alex Ekwueme Federal University Teaching Hospital, Abakaliki.
Confirming the development, the Ebonyi State Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Joshua Ukandu, said the senior officer collapsed during the meeting and was rushed to the hospital.
“Yes, one of them had a crisis during a meeting and was rushed to the hospital. Unfortunately, he didn’t survive,” Ukandu said.
He added that the late officer was not known to be ill before the incident.
“He was not sick before the incident. If he were sick, he wouldn’t have attended the meeting,” he stated.
Ukandu described Popoola as a committed and disciplined officer who served the Nigeria Police Force with dedication and professionalism.
