Police IRT Commander, SP Ugowe, Hit By Driver, Flown Abroad

MICHAEL AKINOLA

A superintendent of Police and second in command of the Police Intelligence Response Team, IRT, Southwest, SP Igbinazaka Ugowe, is in critical condition and reportedly flown abroad after his driver almost crushed him inside his house with his private vehicle in Lagos.

P.M.EXPRESS gathered that Ugowe was badly injured and was flown to United Kingdom under emergency to save his life.

His friends and colleagues who knew what happened were reportedly surprised at the manner of such accident and wondered what would have led his driver to take such action.

P.M.EXPRESS gathered that Ugowe was answering a phone call in front of his house when the driver whose identity was yet to be disclosed drove in. It was learnt that instead of the driver to apply the brake, he fired the vehicle and pressed Ugowe against the wall.  He reportedly slumped and became unconscious. He was rushed to an undisclosed hospital where it was recommended that he should be flown abroad if he must survive the accident.

Our correspondent was unable to ascertain the hospital in UK where he was taken to on emergency and the present condition of his health.
When our correspondent visited IRT office in Lagos, his colleagues confirmed the incident but declined to make official statement on the matter. They described Ugowe as a dedicated and hard working officer who takes his responsibilities seriously and had made a mark on the job.

On the fate of the driver, it was gathered that the police were looking on two sides; deliberate attempted murder of Ugowe and accident as a result of brake failure. However, police source said that if Ugowe eventual dies, the driver will be charged for murder.

SP Ugowe has worked in various capacities in Nigeria Police Force and had been performing creditably well. He was appointed to the Task Force on Protection of Petroleum Pipelines as Commander and was recently deployed to IRT before the incident happened.
P.M.EXPRESS was unable to reach him when contacted on his known GSM line.