Police Commissioner accused of teaming with Gov. Wike against SSS dies

Francis Odesanya [Photo credit: pulse.ng]
Francis Odesanya [Photo credit: pulse.ng]

Francis Odesanya, the Rivers State Commissioner of Police, has died, PREMIUM TIMES learnt Tuesday.

Police spokesman, Jimoh Moshood, told this newspaper moments ago that Mr. Odesanya passed on while receiving treatment in India. He was 56.

Mr. Moshood said Mr. Odesanya had written to the police headquarters a few weeks ago seeking medical leave abroad, which was granted.

“It was while receiving treatment that we got information about his death today,” Mr. Moshood sir.

The police spokesman urged Nigerians to ignore media reports that the deceased was Foluso Adebanjo.

Mr. Adebanjo, a Deputy Inspector-General of Police, was the former Commissioner of Police in Rivers State.

“He is still alive,” Mr. Moshood told PREMIUM TIMES. “The officer we lost, unfortunately, is Francis Odesanya who was until his death the commissioner in Rivers State.”

Mr. Odesanya’s death comes three months after he clashed with the State Security Service during the botched raid on the home of a Federal High Court Judge in Port Harcourt.

Highly-placed SSS sources blamed Mr. Odesanya for allegedly colluding with Governor Nyesom Wike to thwart the secret police’s mission to arrest a federal judge, Mohammed Liman, in the overnight operation that was part of a coordinated raid across the country on October 7-8, 2016.

“When the commissioner arrived there and saw the SSS director, he did not withdraw. Instead, he sided with the governor and together they provided cover for the judge, against SSS agents,” an SSS official told PREMIUM TIMES at the time.

The officials said the standoff dragged on for hours, and later, under the cover of police, a vehicle left the building. SSS said it believed the vehicle conveyed the $2 million.

“As the vehicle left, SSS vehicle followed but was outmaneuvered,” the source added.

Mr. Odesanya denied the allegation.

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  • Abidilagungun

    What has Wike to do with the headline, why not say Rivers State police commissioner is dead?

    • VERITAS_ the rock of ages_

      Gbam

  • cheky

    PT! Why this unnecessary headline ?

    • VERITAS_ the rock of ages_

      Thank you. they could have just written his name instead. Immaturity.

  • _1914

    –
    Dear EDITOR,
    You have reported a suicide bomber detonating her bomb in Bornu…the story has also been hurriedly removed from sight so people don’t see the tragedy of the present times. BUT as usual you have not told us the name of the so-called 10 yr old girl (Suicide bomber). The following questions are also pertinent.

    1. Has any parent declared his/her girl child missing? If not (As is always the case, aren’t they accomplices?)
    2. What is the state of origin of the suicide bomber?
    3. What is her address?
    4. Who was she last with as a ward?

    Remember that charges have already been bought against the Mosque attacker in a Canadian court. He has been named and his address and all other details made public. Why is Nigeria different? Or do the “suicide” bombers in Nigeria have no names and parents?

    • marc umeh

      You are asking too much.

      • Olivia

        I don’t think he/she is asking for too much. Nigeria is more than 6 or 7 countries forcibly put together (About 4 times the population of UK) so questions asked would reflect what would have been asked in each of the countries were they sovereign ties.

  • ANGRY Nigerian

    Honestly, I wish all Nigerian politicians (who have stolen even a Kobo of defrauded Nigeria in any way however small) who are currently receiving treatment abroad especially in London and America speedy death. If they earn so much and our hospitals are not good enough for them and our schools and Universities not good enough for their children then they don’t deserve to live.

  • olat

    Samuel Ogundipe n Evelyn will continue to b a disgrace to Journalism.

  • Spoken word

    Wike na bad market

    • Otile

      Some yoruba journalists are terrible. How is Nwike connected to the death of the yoruba cop? We need state police, Yoruba suspicion, and mistrust are unbearable.

      • Mufu Ola

        If life is unbearable for you why not kick d bucket?

        • Otile

          You talk like a toddler. Do you think you will remain on earth forever?

      • Spoken word

        Westin concern Yoruba with the shit in Rivers state.take your head out of your ass.

  • Bo Biz

    My commiserations to the family of Francis Odesanya,Mr Nyesom Wike and Rivers State PDP for this sad loss.

  • FreeNigeria

    We need to live a just life, because everyone pays the ultimate price. This commissioner’s legacy is now clouded with siding corruption.

  • Lazio

    Why do good people die and the evil live?

    Most Nigerians are expecting the vampire Politician who is receiving treatment in London to die and not this good Cop who risked his life to protect Nigerian citizens to be harassed by sick Security agents.

    • tundemash

      Obviously God is not on your side.

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  • Otile

    What has the dead cop got to do with Nwike onye Umueprikom? The is junk journalism in bad taste.

  • Rachael

    People are praying for Buhari to die and a nice Policeman is the one dying. This world is not fair. Death, can’t you be fair for once?

    • tundemash

      Now you know why you are what you today; obviously God is not on your side !

  • Election

    We are here talking about a dead man, this man is here writing junk publication. This police man is one of those who gang up against Rivers State during election, God will visit everyone who don’t want Rivers state to have peace. The avenge has started. Sacking of innocent police men attached to Wike and death of police man, which is better? May the soul of this man rest in peace.

  • Okokondem

    The unwillingness of PE to do actual investigative reporting doesn’t set it apart from the garden variety everyday publication, especially when you indulge in tabloid headline such as this.

    PT has clearly failed to appreciate why some Nigerians come to them for information about their country they feel is not obtainable from other Nigerian publications.

    News report about the death of a police officer without any doubt is worthy of reporting except such news is obtainable in other Nigerian dailies that do not have the appetite for hard-hitting investigative journalism.

    For nearly 60 years Nigerians have gone through hell in the hands of those they trusted to lead them. Hundreds of billions of dollars are unaccounted for.

    My idea of investigative journalism would include finding out in the interest of discovery where these billions went. Start from the current administration and go as far back as necessary into previous administration’s to try trace the link between budget appropriations and their disappearance. Try as best as you can to uncover where the
    ‘bodies are buried’. Otherwise stop calling what you do investigative journalism. I was disappointed at the ease with which you dropped the budget padding allegations, especially with Buhari’s proposal to borrow $30 billion which would end up with the same much of which would find its way with the budget padding culprits.

  • GusO

    May his soul rest in peace. However, this is the fallacy of accepting bribes from politicians such as Wike. The bribes he took did not save him from dying prematurely. He did not get to spend the money on worldly things except perhaps his health. People should learn to be honest for no amount of bribes will keep them alive when death calls. Its a pity that he will be remembered as the police commissioner who aided Gov Wike from be caught red handed bribing Justice Liman.

  • Paul Irumundomon

    Buhari governmemt, called him a tug and agbero. They can install their saint officer in rivers, who will help buhari carry out his nefarious activities.

  • MammanJiyaVatsa

    I never for a day regret not Joining the Nigerian Police Academy when offered the chance to, It’s simply one of the most dirtiest Institutions in Nigeria.

    The rate at which young Police officers dies in Nigeria is nerve breaking, they live and sustain their family more on blood money rather than a dignified salary they’re supposed to be paid.

    Rest in peace CP. Odesanya, that’s what the Institution you swore loyalty to made of your life.

    I continue to say; Nigeria is done as a country, regionalism now, or the next civil war will consume Nigeria as a whole.