The family of Tolu Bobade, a 17-year-old boy who reportedly died in police custody in Ifon, Ondo State, has called for justice following their son’s tragic death.
According to Peoples Gazette, Tolu was allegedly tortured by police officers at the Divisional Police Station in Ifon, leading to his death over the weekend.
The incident sparked outrage, prompting local youths to set fire to the police station and chase away the officers on duty.
The police initially claimed that the attack on the station was the result of a dispute between two families in the area.
During a visit to assess the damage to the station, Commissioner of Police Mr. Wilfred Afolabi condemned the arson and the attack on the police facility.
He immediately ordered a thorough investigation into the incident.
However, in a petition submitted on Monday to the Chief Justice of Ondo State, Olusegun Odusola, the Bobade family accused the police of causing Tolu’s death through brutal torture.
The petition, signed by Dupe Bobade, the family representative, claims that Tolu was arrested on February 14 by officers from the Ifon Police Division under the direction of Divisional Police Officer (DPO) Isadare Funminiyi.
The family stated that during his detention, Tolu suffered severe torture, which ultimately led to his death on February 15.
To cover up their actions, the police allegedly transported his body to Adelabu Hospital in Ifon, where it was rejected before being taken to the Federal Medical Centre (FMC) in Owo, where it was deposited in the morgue without the family’s knowledge.
In their petition, the family highlighted that the police’s actions violated the provisions of the Anti-Torture Act of 2017 and the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) of 2015.
They are calling for a thorough and impartial investigation into the circumstances surrounding Tolu’s arrest, detention, and death.
The Bobade family has demanded that DPO Isadare Funminiyi and the officers involved be held accountable and prosecuted according to the law. They expressed hope that justice would be served in order to honor Tolu’s memory and to prevent future abuses of power by law enforcement.
“We place our trust in your esteemed office to ensure that justice is served,” the petition concluded.
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