Police Brutality: Family of Deceased Kwara Farmer Demands Justice, Heads to Court
The family of Olatunji Jimoh, a young farmer who died in the custody of the Nigeria Police Force, Kwara State Command, has called on the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, to ensure justice is served.
Through the convener of a human rights campaign called Justice For Olatunji Jimoh, the family made the call for justice during a press briefing in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital, on Wednesday.
Olatunji Jimoh, a 35-year-old farmer from the family of Jimoh Alabi, died in police custody on December 20, 2024. Reports indicated that on December 19, he was lured out of his home by his friend, Mr. Jelili Kehinde, and was subsequently abducted by operatives of the Nigeria Police Force Special Investigation Bureau (SIB) while riding on a motorcycle.
He was taken to the police headquarters in Ilorin on charges of owing his superior at work, Mr. Gabriel Sunday, who works at Olam Offa, the sum of Two Hundred and Twenty Thousand Naira (N220,000.00).
Despite contacting his family, who were willing to settle the debt using the sum of Four Hundred and Twenty-Five Thousand Naira (N425,000.00) he had collected from his aunt earlier in the day, he was denied bail by officers Mr. Adekunle Emmanuel Ogunshola, Mr. Emmanuel Ajiboye, and Mr. Oluwole Bamiteko. The family was instructed to return the following morning.
Tragically, between 9:00 pm and 10:00 pm, a strange call was made to his sister, urging her to come to the station. She explained her inability to come due to nursing a baby, but the calls persisted until 2:00 am and resumed around 7:00 am.
Upon arriving at the station the next morning, the family was informed that Olatunji had allegedly hanged himself in the cell. His mother, in distress, demanded to see the cell.
She noted that the cell was shorter than Olatunji’s height of over six feet, raising doubts about the claim that he hanged himself. The officers explained that he had knelt down to hang himself.
Further concerns arose when the family discovered his body had been taken to the mortuary without their consent. Upon arrival at the mortuary, they found his body with dissected laps and visible wounds, intensifying suspicions of foul play.
Following the public outcry, the Inspector General of Police, during a visit to Ilorin, assured the public of a comprehensive investigation. However, since his statement, no updates on the investigation have been made public.
Owolabi Olumuyiwa, convener of the concerned citizens’ group, called on the IGP to uphold the national anthem’s principle of justice, urging that “no man is oppressed.”
He highlighted the family’s emotional and financial struggles since the incident and reiterated the demand for justice.
“The first day I got to the house, I shook my head because you will know that this family are really suffering, not to mention that the breadwinner has been taken away. A lot is happening to the family presently because the mother fainted three times and has been rushed to the hospital to stabilize her health.”
“It has not been an easy task because to take care of these children, the feeding, the clothing, and their education which is paramount to them because they are still young.”
“What we are equally demanding is simple. To bring those who perpetrate evil to justice. Number two is to look after the health of the aged parent, and to look after the two children that Olatunji left behind and they have to pay damages for the havoc they have caused the family of Olatunji Jimoh.”
The group’s legal representative, Lawyer Olukayode Oloyede, confirmed the case is with the Kwara State High Court and called for public support for the grieving family.
He further condemned police brutality in Kwara State, referencing a previous incident where a man lost his life after being shot by a police officer over a demand for a twenty naira bribe from a taxi driver.
Comrade Taiye Erubu, President of the Balogun Fulani Youth, commended the group’s efforts and revealed that the community has written letters to various organizations demanding justice. He advised the convener to continue reaching out to relevant authorities to seek a response and justice for Olatunji.
The deceased is survived by his father, Jimoh Alabi, 65, his mother, Adijat Jimoh, 60, and his daughters, Aisha Abdulganiyu, 9, and Aminat Abdulganiyu, 6.
