The Ogun State Police Command has confirmed the death of 51-year-old Sunday Abidoye, a US-based Nigerian, whose lifeless body was found in his hotel room at the Creestar Hotel, GRA, Sagamu, on Wednesday, November 20, 2024.
In a statement issued Thursday, the command’s spokesperson, SP Omolola Odutola, revealed that a thorough search of the room led to the discovery of nine different drugs and traditional medicines. The cause of Abidoye’s death remains unclear, and investigations are ongoing.
Abidoye, who had arrived in Nigeria on Saturday, November 16, 2024, from the United States, was reported to have been staying at the hotel for five days.
The discovery of his body came after his brother, Jimoh Godday, who resides in Imota, Lagos State, went to check on him after not hearing from him for a couple of days.
According to Odutola, Godday visited the hotel on Monday and knocked on Room 109, where his brother was staying, but received no response.
Concerned for his brother’s well-being, he requested a spare key from the hotel manager and entered the room, where he found Abidoye’s body.
“The Chief Security Officer of the hotel, Mr. Oluwole, reported the incident to the police, and a team of detectives was dispatched to the scene,” Odutola said.
When the police arrived, they found the body of the deceased outside the hotel in a car, prepared for transport to the morgue by family members. Photographs of the scene were taken, and various medications were recovered from the room.
Abidoye’s friend, Ogunmonti Ogunwole, confirmed that he had accompanied the deceased the day before to purchase the medications. The drugs, along with several traditional remedies, were reportedly bought due to Abidoye’s complaints of illness, but it remains unclear whether they played a role in his death.
“Photos were taken, and various drugs and traditional medicines were recovered from the room. The centre of the bed was soaked with a liquid-like substance,” Odutola said.
Following the discovery, the body was transported to the Olabisi Onabanjo University Teaching Hospital (OOUTH) morgue in Sagamu for an autopsy to determine the cause of death. The police have stated that while the investigation is ongoing, no clear cause of death has been established as of yet.
The Ogun State Police has transferred the case to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) for a discreet investigation, as authorities seek to clarify the circumstances surrounding Abidoye’s sudden death.
The involvement of multiple medications and the state of the room may indicate that foul play or an accidental overdose could be factors, but these will need to be confirmed through further inquiries.
As investigations continue, family and friends of the deceased await further clarity regarding the tragic incident.
