A humanitarian group, The Concerned Citizen, has demanded the arrest and prosecution of officers fingered in the alleged murder of Olatunji Jimoh in the custody of the Kwara State Police Command.
The group’s spokesman, Mr Owolabi Olamuyiwa, made the demand during a news conference in Ilorin on Wednesday.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that Jimoh, a young farmer, died in police custody on Dec. 20, 2024.
Olamuyiwa alleged attempts to sweep the matter under the carpet as no information about the investigation had so far been released.
He, therefore, called for transparency in the investigation of the alleged murder, insisting that officers who allegedly killed Jimoh be arrested and punished.
“The welfare of his two children must be looked into, and the aged parents should be looked after because of their health due to the shock of bereavement,” he said.
Relating the incident leading to the alleged murder, Olamuyiwa said the deceased, on Dec. 19, 2024, was washing clothes in front of his house when his friend came to visit him.
According to Olamuyiwa, the friend, Mr Jelili Kehinde, however, lured him out of the house at Balogun Fulani Area of Kwara around 5.00 p.m.
He alleged the deceased was abducted by members of the Nigeria Police Force Special Investigation Bureau (SIB) and taken to the police headquarters in Ilorin, Kwara.
The group’s spokesman further explained that Jimoh owed his superior at work, Mr Gabriel Sunday, working at Olam Offa, the sum of N220,000.
According to him, with the sum of N425,000 from his aunt on the deceased, attempts were made by the family to pay off the debt.
“However, one Mr Adekunle Ogunshola, Mr Emmanuel Ajiboye and Mr Oluwole Bamiteko denied him bail.
“This was even after the payment was made and the family was told to come back the following morning,” he said.
Olamuyiwa said later in the night, the family received a series of calls from the police from about 10.00 p.m. to 2.00 a.m., asking them to come to the police station.
“The sister, however, declined to go because she was a nursing mother,” he said.
He said the family eventually gathered in front of the police headquarters at about 7.00 a.m. but they were denied access till around 8.00 a.m.
“They were told the news that Jimoh had hung himself in the cell,” he said.
According to him, the cell where the deceased was kept was not up to 6 feet, while Jimoh was taller than 6 feet.
“The police alleged that the deceased knelt down and hung himself.
“The family later demanded his remains and learnt that the body was taken to the mortuary and dissected without the consent of the family,” he said.
Meanwhile, the family’s legal representative, Olukayode Oloyede, alleged that the deceased was murdered by the police.
He lamented the rising cases of police brutality in Nigeria while calling on the federal authority to look into the matter.
Also, the 65-year-old mother of the deceased, Mrs Adijat Jimoh, lamented the untold hardship the death of her son had plunged the family.
She explained the deceased left behind two young daughters, calling for assistance to care for their welfare and education.
In her reaction, the command’s spokesperson, SP Adetoun Ejire-Adeyemi, said investigations were ongoing.