Police say Tagbo Umeike died from suffocation, Davido lied during questioning

Tagbo Umeike, a friend of Afro-pop star Davido, died from suffocation, the Lagos state police command has said.

Edgal Imohimi, acting police commissioner, made this known on Wednesday at a briefing in Lagos.

Imohimi said Davido has been reinvited for questioning. He said the singer did not give an accurate response when asked of the time he became aware of Umeike’s death.

The acting commissioner said the singer lied that he found out about his friend’s death while he was at DNA, a nightclub in Victoria Island.

Edgal also said Umeike was abandoned in his car at the hospital by Davido’s driver and two of his friends.

He said: “On October 3, at about 9:20am, the Chief Security Officer (CSO) of General Hospital Lagos, Oparanti Moshood, alerted the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) Lion Building that an unidentified male was brought in dead (BID) in an Ash Toyota Camry Saloon car marked LSD378EL by two unidentified males.

“From the international passport found in the deceased’s car, the DPO gave his identity as Tagbo Umeike. Immediately after, one Caroline Danjuma, an actress and the victim’s fiancee, published on her Instagram page that her boyfriend died in the company of one David Adeleke, alias Davido and friends.

“To be objective and verify facts, I called for a pre-investigation meeting in my conference room. In attendance were all parties including family, friends of the deceased; those of Davido; Caroline Danjuma; the DPO and investigating officers.

“The meeting confirmed that the deceased Tagbo Umeike on that day met and had drinks with friends at Shisha Bar amongst whom was Davido. The bar tender confirmed the deceased had as much as 40 tots of Tequila and exhibited signs of drunkenness.

“Davido had told the police he had left Shisha Bar for DNA Night Club in Victoria Island without the deceased and was only informed by mutual friends of his death while he was at DNA.

“However, investigation revealed that Davido’s white Toyota Hilux escort driver, Tunde Usutu, accompanied by one Agbeje Olaoye and one Idris Busari, both Davido’s friends, took the deceased to the General Hospital Lagos and abandoned him in his vehicle on the instruction of Davido.

“The CCTV footage at the hospital picked the escort vehicle and the entire activity. The vehicle was recovered from Davido’s residence at 7, Awoshika Street, Lekki Phase 1.

“This completely debunks Davido’s claim that he did not know how the deceased got to the General Hospital. The interim autopsy report stated that the victim died of Asphyxia.”

Following Umeike’s death on Tuesday, October 3, actress Caroline Danjuma had accused him of complicity and lashed out at him over his “abandonment” of the deceased at the hospital.

“Davido where is Tagbo, he was with you and ur crew last night. You all wore face cap to hide your identities after he died in ur car. u dumped him at general hospital and ran away. The law must play its role this time,” she had said.

“After you all abandoned him at general hospital you continued grooving at DNA and had the nerves to promote ur show.”

DJ Olu, another friend of Davido, died a few days ago. The disc jockey and a friend Chime Amaechi were found dead in a BMW in an underground garage in Banana Island, Lagos.