‘Nobody Cares About Our Health’ – Police Officers Speak As DPO’s Orderly Slumps, Dies In Lagos

There have been mixed reactions as a police constable attached to the Lagos State Police Command, Wale Akinlotan, slumped and died while on duty at Ilupeju police division.

Findings revealed that the police officer joined the Nigeria Police Force in 2018 and had a previous assignment at the Lagos Police Public Relations Office, where he served as a media personnel.

Akinlotan, a Mass Communication graduate from Moshood Abiola Polytechnic, tragically collapsed on Monday while on duty as the orderly for the DPO in Ilupeju.

While the exact cause of his death remains unknown, reports suggestedbthat he was recovering from injuries inflicted by a suspect.

Akinlotan had played a vital role in capturing a suspect attempting to escape police custody, during which the suspect bit him on his shoulder, fingers, and other areas, as relayed by a source.

In a poignant acknowledgment of the risks of his profession, Akinlotan himself shared videos of the injuries sustained during the incident on Tiktok on October 19, noting, “Job hazard. Thank God for life, Human bite is worse than scorpion/snake venom.”

Akinlotan has been laid to rest in a cemetery in Lagos State.

However, when attempting to contact the Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, Benjamin Hundeyin, he did not answer calls to his mobile.

In response to a text message, Hundeyin requested an SMS, but as of Tuesday, he had not responded.

The sudden passing of Akinlotan has ignited reactions from fellow police officers, many of whom have voiced concerns about the inadequate welfare conditions in their profession.

Several officers who spoke to our correspondent pointed out that Akinlotan’s death was one among numerous similar incidents affecting police personnel of varying ranks across the nation.

They attributed this disturbing trend to the lack of adequate rest for officers, saying, “They won’t give us time to rest. Nobody cares about our health at work. Even when you’re sick, they demand a medical report before allowing you to seek treatment. We’re assigned to multiple shifts in a day, and they won’t approve annual leave for us. It’s disheartening to see officers lose their lives to preventable circumstances.”