Ripples over nursing mother, man’s death in police custody
By GABRIEL DIKE, Osogbo
Friday, October 24, 2008


•Okiro
Photo: Sun News Publishing
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Osun State Police Command is in the news again, as yet another suspect, a woman has allegedly been tortured to death while in custody. The incident is generating ripples as people of Ede in the state have petitioned the Inspector General of Police, Mr. Mike Okiro, over the woman’s death. They are demanding prosecution of the officials involved and #100million as compensation.

Detectives at the police station in Ede were accused of beaten to death one Misitura Ademola ,who was held in their custody over a reported case of theft by a friend.

While the ripples generated by the death of Ademola are yet to settle down, the Police Command found itself in another messy situation following the death of a man, who died in questionable circumstances at a police station.His family members are demanding an explanation.

Daily Sun gathered that the late Ademola who was nursing a five month-old baby, was accused of house breaking and theft in another compound within Ede . The relations alleged that the police descended on her heavily with their batons after her arrest.
According to members of the family, four policemen from ‘A’ Division police station in Ede arrested the victim and without giving her opportunity to absolve herself, started beating her mercilessly.
But the police command,in defence,said it was a mob that lynched her.
But an eyewitness, one Alfa Adewale,faulted the police alibi,stressing that the policemen who came to arrest her forcefully removed her five month-old baby from her back and threw her (baby) at one of the family members.

He added: “In our presence, after beating Misitura mercilessly, they handcuffed her hands and legs and took her to their station. They swooped on her without listening to her side of the story and bundled her into a waiting Mazda wagon with registration number--312EDE.
“So,when it happened like that, I followed the policemen to their station and there they started beating her again. The beating was so much and I could not bear it any longer then I told them that they should remember that she was a woman but my pleas fell on deaf ears.

He further claimed:“Her child was crying throughout the night, so,about 8: 00a m, I took the child to the police station for Misitura to breastfeed her but I was told by the police that she was dead and that her corpse had been taken to the hospital’s mortuary.
“I asked what killed her, none of them could give me any satisfactory answer. They only said we should go and collect her remains for burial”, Alfa narrated.
Another eye-witness, Alhaji Bashir Oyekanmi, alias Erusope ,who is chairman of Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria (RTEAN), Ede North disclosed that he was at the police station when policemen were beating the deceased.

Oyekanmi explained: “As the chairman of RTEAN, one of my boys was in a little problem, so, I was at the police station when they brought the woman. As she was brought down from the police vehicle, the policemen started beating her and the woman was crying.
“At a point, the woman called me and said she was from Laoye compound and that I should help her. I moved closer but could not recognize her because of the beating. I never knew that she was my sister.
He continued:“I was at the station until 9:00pm that day. She requested for water but the policemen did not even answer her. Now, they are threatening me because they knew I witnessed the whole act.”
Reacting to the incident, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Mr. Joshua Olayemi (DSP) confirmed the woman’s death but said that investigation on the matter is now being handled by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) but the woman’s family members alleged move to cover up the incident.

He said the state CID would investigate the claims by police that they rescued the woman from a mob and also look at the angle of all the eyewitnesses accusing police of torturing the woman to death.
The family lawyer, Barrister Babalola, had petitioned the Inspector General of Police in a letter dated September 27,2008 and demanded that the alleged murderers of Ademola be brought to book.
The second death in police custody according to Daily Sun investigations was recorded at Ataoja Police Station. The police claimed the elderly man committed suicide while in their custody on Tuesday, October 14, 2008.

Effort to seek the reactions of the PPRO, Olayemi (DSP) on the issue proved abortive but the family members of the deceased raised alarm accusing the police of killing him while battling to secure the service of a lawyer to handle the case.

Culled from sunnewsonline.com

Nigerian Policemen!!!!!!!!! Fear them.They are completely INSANE!!!!!!!