Man tells Osun panel how police killed his son, withheld corpse for 12 years ignoring court order

A bereaved father, Taiwo Daniel, of a final year Mechanic Engineering undergraduate at Osun State College of Technology, Esa-Oke, has revealed before the Osun State panel of Inquiry against Police brutality and extrajudicial killings that the police killed his son, Babatunde Daniel with the corpse still withheld for 12 years.

Following the submission of his petition, Taiwo gave evidence before the panel on Saturday, saying Babatunde was shot by the then Ilesa Area Commander of the Nigeria Police, Mr. Joshua Atunise, twice on his thighs before dumping him at SARS cell in Osogbo.

According to Taiwo, some students were returning from an occasion on November 28, 2008, when they were accosted by the police at Ilo Ijesa via Ilesa.

“On November 28, 2008, some students coming from an occasion were arrested at Ilo Ijesha via Ilesha by the police at a checkpoint. After they identified themselves the police refused to let them go.

“To further prove their identities, they called my son, Babatunde who was their leader and was not at the scene. When he showed up, he was arrested alongside other students.

“The police officers told them to give them N30,000 before they could be released but my son refused. The officers called the then Area Commander, Mr. Joshua Atunise that they have arrested some armed robbers terrorising the community.

“The Area Commander took my son and one other student to the scene where he was arrested. The Area Commander kept on tagging my son armed robber, which he objected to vehemently. A position that infuriated the officer, Atunise shot him twice on his thigh and took him to the then Commissioner of Police, Mr. John Morenike in Osogbo.

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“The CP told Atunise that my son should be given medical attention but he took him to the SARS cell at Oke-Baale, Osogbo. That was where my son bled to death on November 29, 2008,” he said.

Taiwo also disclosed that the police authority flagrantly disobeyed court order that the corpse of his son should be released for proper burial after declaring his killing as illegal and awarded N30 million compensation against the police.

“Police arraigned my son’s colleagues, but the court discharged them. We filed a suit against the police for killing my son and withholding his corpse. On March 29, 2012 the court declared that the killing of my son was illegal and ordered police should pay us N30 million and arrest the Area Commander who must be prosecuted.

“On May 28, 2012, a letter communicating the judgment of the court to the police was received by the police, but nothing was done in that respect.

”Again, on May, 4, 2020 the court directed the police to release the corpse for appropriate burial but they refused to do that. The corpse is still with the police,” he added.

After listening to the bereaved father, the Panel Chairman, Justice Akin Oladimeji, adjourned the hearing till Thursday, December 17.

By Emmanuella Ibe…

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