The family of late Agboola Saheed of Obalogbo compound, Ila-Orangun, has petitioned the Assistant Inspector General of Police, AIG Zone XI, over the death of their son, Saheed, in Otaefun police station, Osogbo. Osun state.
The family in a letter written by their lawyer, Mr. Kazeem Odedeji, a copy of which was made available to news men, called for discreet investigation into the circumstances that led to the death of Saheed, in the custody of Nigeria police.
According to the letter, the deceased reported a case or threat to life at Otaefun police station sometimes in March 30, 2020. It alleged that the police later turned the tide against him when the suspect in that case made a counter-complaint that the deceased was owing him about N461,000 from a daily contribution he was coordinating.
The letter alleged that “our client’s son was arrested and detained. He was released on administrative bail the following day.
It stated that Saheed was invited to the police station on April 15 where he was “quickly rushed to Osogbo Magistrate Court”, and was arraigned without the knowledge of any of his family.
The deceased was said to be remanded in police custody before his family could know at a later hour.
“It is pertinent to state here that late Saheed’s father saw him late on that day April 15, 2020 and he was in a very high spirit not suggesting any unwholesome behaviour.
“Surprisingly, late Saheed Agboola’s uncle and guardian was invited to the police headquarters on April 16 where he met with senior police officers led by the Commissioner of Police, Osun state command who broke the news of Saheed Agboola’s death on an excuse that he committed suicide inside police cell.
“Mr Agboola Rasaq sought to see thing himself but alas, the situation he met the deceased did not in any way suggest that of somebody who took his own life. Another question agitating the mind of our client is ‘how on earth will a suspect in police cell such as Ota-efun divisional police headquarters take his own life and nobody would be available to come to his aid?’ How a suspect/defendant die in a police cell like a chicken beats everybody’s imagination.
“It is against the above background we hereby have our client’s instruction to demand for proper and discreet investigation into the circumstance leading to the death of Saheed Agboola in the custody of the Nigeria Police”, the petition stated.
