The household of a 40-year-old man, Taofeek Azeez, has demanded justice following his loss of life in police custody at Agbeye, in Odo-Otin Local Government Area of Osun State.
DAILY POST gathered that Azeez was arrested over an alleged theft of cocoa seeds.
Azeez reportedly died a number of hours after native vigilantes apprehended him on Wednesday and handed him over to the Nigeria Police.
Reports indicated that he was first taken to the palace of the Alagbeye of Agbeye earlier than being transferred to a police outpost for questioning and detention.
Speaking with journalists on Friday, the deceased’s brother, Fatai Alimi, known as on the Osun Commissioner of Police to analyze the circumstances surrounding his brother’s loss of life.
Alimi mentioned: “Azeez left house for the farm on Tuesday morning. The household later learnt that he had been taken to a police station over the alleged theft of cocoa seeds.
“Before that, he was taken to the palace, where he was subjected to corporal punishment and stripped naked.”
He questioned the police account that his brother had taken his personal life in custody, describing the circumstances of the loss of life as suspicious and calling for the intervention of the police and state authorities.
“It was surprising to hear that he had killed himself inside the cell; his death looks suspicious,” he mentioned.
Alimi, who added that Azeez was a father of six kids from three wives and had left behind an aged mom, urged the authorities to make sure that the circumstances of his loss of life had been totally investigated.
Confirming the incident, the Osun State Police Public Relations Officer, Abiodun Ojelabi, mentioned Azeez had been apprehended by members of the group over the allegation of stealing cocoa seeds earlier than being taken to the monarch, who directed that he be handed over to the police.
“The deceased was apprehended by the group for allegedly stealing cocoa seeds. The monarch instructed the group members to switch him to the police outpost, the place he was questioned and detained.
“A few hours later, when the officer went to check on him in the cell, he had committed suicide,” the police spokesperson said.
He added that the officer chargeable for the cell could be interrogated as a part of the investigation.
Ojelabi mentioned the police had contacted the deceased’s household and had been taking vital steps to query the officer in cost, though preliminary findings indicated suicide.
