Governor Umo Eno has sent his condolences to the inspector general of police and the police command in Akwa Ibom over the loss.

The Commissioner of Police in Akwa Ibom State, Waheed Ayilara, is dead.

Although the police are yet to issue an official statement on the cause of his death, Channels Television reported that Mr Ayilara died in the early hours of Thursday at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Ikeja.

According to Channels, the late commissioner of police died hours after undergoing prostate cancer surgery on Wednesday.

Mr Ayilara, deployed to the state as commissioner of police in February, is the first serving police commissioner to die in the state.

Governor Eno mourns late police commissioner

Meanwhile, the Akwa Ibom State Governor, Umo Eno, has expressed the condolences of the people of the state over the death of the commissioner of police.

In a statement released on Thursday by his spokesperson, Ekerete Udoh, Mr Eno described Mr Ayilara's sudden passing as painful.

The late commissioner, the governor said, was "one of the finest operational officers, a genial and a fine gentleman who epitomised the finest ideals of the Nigerian Police Force.

"He served our state as the police commissioner until his sad passing, where he distinguished himself as a crime-buster of no mean repute," the statement said.

According to the governor, the late police commissioner was "deeply involved with the fabric" of the state. He had previously served his mandatory one-year National Youth Service Corps in Akwa Ibom and later returned as the Unit Commander of the Police Mobile Unit 26.

Mr Eno said the late commissioner of police was a critical member of the state security architecture and worked hard to keep the state safe.

"He will be deeply missed," Mr Eno added, and he extended his condolences to the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, the State Police Command, and members of the state security community.