Kwara State Police Command said that it has launched a discreet investigation into the sudden death of a 35-year-old man identified as Jimoh Abdulquadri, who died in detention on Friday.
Jimoh, who hails from the Balogun Fulani community in Erubu/Asunnara, Ilorin, Kwara State, reportedly died in police custody in the early hours of Friday.
It was gathered that the deceased was arrested by the police operatives on December 19, 2024, for allegedly owing someone, identified as Peter, a sum of N220,000 while he reportedly died on December 20, 2024.
Relations of Jimoh (aka Van de Sar), including his mother, Mrs. Adijat Moriyike, and elder brother, Ismail, alleged that the deceased was tortured to death, calling on concerned authorities to investigate the matter and arrest culprits to get justice.
The people accused police operatives in the headquarters of the state police command of beating and breaking the head of the deceased with a hard object, with the nose allegedly oozing blood.
According to the deceased’s elder brother, he said that measures were already being taken to settle the N220,000 debt before the incident.
“My brother was said to be owing someone a sum of N220,000, and measures were being taken to settle the debt. He was arrested with his phone and N350,000 at about 5:30 pm, and at 7:30 pm he died on December 20.
We were called a few hours after midnight of December 20 to come and bail him, when police said they don’t know what’s happening to my brother and that he’s been taken to the hospital. By the time we got to the headquarters early in the morning, we were told to meet them at General Hospital, Surulere, Ilorin.
There, we saw at the mortuary that he was beaten to death with blood all over him. They said he hanged himself with a cloth he was wearing inside the cell. My brother is a tall person who couldn’t have killed himself inside the police cell that they have.
“The person my late brother was owing money is an elder brother to a policeman. The person instructed his younger brother to torture my brother. When we got to the mortuary, we saw that his face was swollen, blood oozed from his nose and bruises all over his body.”
The family also accused police of planning to cover up, calling on authorities concerned to intervene.
In a reaction on Sunday, the Kwara state police command, through the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Toun Ejire-Adeyemi DSP, confirmed the development.
“The Kwara State Police Command is aware of an unfortunate incident that led to the tragic loss of one Mr. Jimoh Abdulquadri, which occurred on December 20, 2024.
“The deceased was invited on an alleged case of obtaining money by false pretence to the sum of N220,000.
Discreet investigations into this incident have commenced to ascertain the cause. Further developments on the outcome will be communicated as it progresses, as no stone will be left unturned,” she said.
(PUNCH)