Daughter of trader who died in police custody petitions IGP, demands probe

The daughter of a trader at Gbagi Market, Ibadan, Mr. Kehinde Omotosho, who died in police custody in Ibadan, has petitioned the Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, demanding for an investigation into the cause of his death.

The daughter, Khadijat Omotosho, in a petition written on her behalf by her solicitors, Afe Babalola and Co, is demanding an autopsy so the circumstances surrounding her dad’s death can be unravelled.

Ripples Nigeria had reported that Omotosho died in the custody of the State Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of the police on July 21.

A police team had stormed Omotosho’s neighbourhood around Agugu area at about midnight of July 16. He was arrested alongside some persons in the area by the operatives, who were said to have come for his nephew, Kabir.

Kabir was allegedly involved in a fight that led to the killing of an individual in the area.

The deceased was thereafter detained at the CID office at Iyaganku, for six days.

One Jelili Razak, who was arrested alongside Omotosho disclosed that the trader died as a result of torture on July 21.

Read also: Trader arrested in lieu of son reportedly dies in police custody

Razak said: “He could not sleep because they were standing all night, day after day, inside this dingy cell. By Monday night, four days after our arrest, Mr Omotosho had developed so much discomfort that he became very ill.”

He further disclosed that instead of giving him medical treatment, the police authorities at Iyaganku tied him with ropes and made him lie face down all through the night.

In the petition, Khadijat stated that her late father “was an honest businessman and a responsible family man and a law-abiding citizen of this country.”

She also added that “she and six other children have been left without a father and breadwinner owing to the incident.”

She questioned the arrest, detention and why they were denied access to the victim for more than five days.

“Why were the deceased and Mr Jelili Rasak detained beyond the prescribed by the constitution? What is the cause of death of the deceased who prior to his unlawful arrest and detention did not suffer any obvious or underlying medical condition or ailment?

“In view of this, we humbly request that you use your good office to set up an investigation into the allegations contained in this petition, particularly the circumstances surrounding the unlawful arrest, detention and eventual death of Mr Kehinde Omotosho in the custody of the officers of the Anti-Cultism Unit of the Oyo State CID,” she wrote in the petition.

Join the conversation

Opinions

Support Ripples Nigeria, hold up solutions journalism

Balanced, fearless journalism driven by data comes at huge financial costs.

As a media platform, we hold leadership accountable and will not trade the right to press freedom and free speech for a piece of cake.

If you like what we do, and are ready to uphold solutions journalism, kindly donate to the Ripples Nigeria cause.

Your support would help to ensure that citizens and institutions continue to have free access to credible and reliable information for societal development.

Donate Now