The Oyo State Police Command has lost three constables who drowned in a bridge washed away by flood on Balogun Street in Oyo town.

The policemen, attached from Oyo Atiba Police Division, trailed some hoodlums to the area when the thugs started running towards the bridge.

According to an eyewitness, one of the hoodlums reportedly jumped into the water and the policemen jumped after him during which the officers drowned.

The witness, who gave his name as Okunola Abbas said, “On Sunday, July 12, some policemen from Oyo Atiba division were passing through Balogun Street in Oyo town and saw some hoodlums smoking weed in the area.

“The area is notorious for hooliganism. The policemen parked their van and four of them started running after the hoodlums. So, being their base and knowing the area well, the hoodlums jumped into the flooded bridge. The policemen chased one of the hoodlums to the bridge and three of them jumped after him.

“They were not lucky as they were swallowed up by the mud. It was later that a bulldozer was used to bring their corpses out.”

The state Police Public Relations Officer, Olugbenga Fadeyi, confirmed the incident, adding that four suspects had been arrested by the police over the incident.

He said, “The policemen carried out a raid. They went to a criminal hideout in the area. Some of the hoodlums ran and one of them jumped and entered a canal. The policemen followed them.