Police mourn as Lagos DPO dies during surgery

The Lagos State Police Command has mourned the demise of the Divisional Police Officer in charge of Festac Division, Matilda Ngbaronye, who died on Friday after 15 years of service.

The spokesperson for the Lagos Police Command, Abimbola Adebisi, in a statement on Saturday, said Ngbaronye died after undergoing surgery at a medical centre in Surulere area of the state.

 She said, “The Command mourns the loss of a truly upright and dedicated officer who served with unwavering professionalism and integrity.

 “Until her passing, she was known for her diligence, discipline, and commitment to duty. Her friendly disposition and humane approach to policing greatly helped to bridge the gap between the Police and the public she dutifully served. At no time was she found wanting in the discharge of her responsibilities.”

Noting that the news of the DPO’s demise came as a rude shock to the command, Adebisi said the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Jimoh Olohundare, all officers and men of the command commiserated with the deceased’s family and aged mother on the loss.

According to her, Olohundare has reached out to the late DPO’s husband and her elder brother, who is a priest, to extend the command’s condolences and support.

 The police spokesperson added that burial arrangements for the late female cop would be communicated in due course.

Ngbaronye, who joined the Force on April 19, 2010, rose steadily through the ranks to become one of the distinguished female officers in the Lagos State Police Command.

She served in various capacities, including as the Crime Officer at Dolphin Estate Division, Ikoyi, and General Investigation/Fingerprint Expert at the State Criminal Investigation Department, Panti.

She also headed the Public Complainants Bureau before her deployment to the African Union Mission in Somalia, where she served as Public Information Officer and earned commendations for her performance.

In December 2020, she was appointed Deputy Police Public Relations Officer for the Lagos State Command by the then Commissioner of Police, Hakeem Odumosu.

She was promoted to the rank of Superintendent of Police in February 2021 and, in December 2024, was among 1,348 officers elevated by the Police Service Commission to the rank of Chief Superintendent.

Before her posting to the Festac Division, she had served as the Divisional Police Officer at Iponri.

News gathered that her death came as a shock to colleagues and friends, many of whom took to social media to mourn her.

A Facebook user, Abu Yahaya, wrote, “A great loss. CSP Matilda, DPO Festac Division, is dead. She died on October 24, 2025, at an undisclosed hospital in Surulere, Lagos. May God Almighty console her family and the Nigeria Police Force, Lagos State Command. RIP, hero.”

Another mourner, broadcaster Moshood Ogunleye, posted, “Divisional Police Officer, Festac Town, CSP Matilda, is dead. Residents, members of the Police Community Relations Committee, and officers in Festac Town were in mourning as the news spread.”