Police Probe Mysterious Death Of Upstream Regulatory Commission Official

The police in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) has confirmed reports of the death of Kazeem Sulaiman, a member of staff of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC).

The father of four was reportedly murdered by unknown armed persons on Sunday while jogging outside his Ochacho Estate residence in the Idu-Karmo district of the FCT.

The police on Tuesday said the deceased left his home at about 7 am on Christmas day and never returned until 2 pm when he was found lifeless with visible bodily injuries.

Details about Sulaiman revealed that he had just bagged a master’s degree in Energy Oil and Gas Economics from the University of Dundee, United Kingdom before his death.

A neighbour, Kasim Abdullahi who spoke to Daily Trust recalled that the deceased had contacted him for their daily jogging but he was unavailable due to personal demands.

He noted that at about 11 am that day the wife of the deceased had informed him that Sulaiman had not returned home since he left jogging.

This, according to him, led to a futile search operation that lasted for hours until the news of an identified body came to the fore.

“It was Usman’s lifeless body, with his joggers soaked in blood as a result of a stab on his right lap. His phone was nowhere to be found, which suggested that phone snatchers could be behind his untimely death.

“We went back to the station to update them on the development as well as invite them to the scene. After some formalities, the body was released and taken to Garki Hospital, where Usman was officially certified dead,” he said.

Speaking further on the situation, the FCT command in a statement signed by its Spokesperson DSP Josephine Adeh said the deceased was later “discovered around 14:00hrs by a search party organized by the Karmo Divisional Police Headquarters upon the receipt of the information, with visible bodily injuries.

“He was confirmed dead by experts on the crime scene investigation Team who were present to remove the corps and take necessary preliminary investigation actions.”

The FCT Commissioner of Police, Sadiq Abubakar has, however, directed the Division of jurisdiction and all other Investigative and intelligence assets of the Command to “exert their full weight on the case to unravel the situation that surrounds his death and bring perpetrators to book.”