Kunle Adelabu & Wale Jagun
Residents of Ikorodu community, social media activists and family of Omolola Ejioye, a young man allegedly tortured and killed in Police custody at the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) over a matter he allegedly knew nothing about, are demanding justice for his death.
The matter, which has escalated, has received wide condemnation from friends and residents of Ikorodu who are now calling for justice for the young man.
According to information gathered by THE IMPACT, late Ejioye was arrested on Sunday, May 2, at Ladega, his area of residence by Police officers attached to the Ikorodu Division Police Headquarters and was later transferred to SCID Panti on Tussday, May 4.
Chairman of the National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN), Lagos State Chapter, Comrade Olalekan Biliamin Oba, bringing up the matter on his facebook page, called for the intervention of human right lawyers and journalists while also seeking justice for the victim.
“I just learnt that egbon Eji died in the hands of the Nigeria Police despite being a suspect of a crime he knew nothing about”, Oba said.
“He was transferred to Panti (State Criminal Investigation Department) from Igbogbo Police station (Ikorodu Police Division, Igbogbo Road) and after discovering that he was innocent, they (police officers) demanded 100k from his friends to secure his release”, he alleged.
While calling on the Police to always be professional in their conduct and discharge of their duty, Oba called on human right lawyers to get justice for late Ejioye.
“Even when it was obvious that he had already been seriously tortured by the police and inmates, they still won’t let him go 48 hours after his arrest “, Oba further alleged.
“The police must be professional in their conduct. I am personally calling on human rights lawyers to take up this case and ensure that justice is served”.
He also called on journalists to assist in unraveling the issues involved in the death of the suspect.
Oba’s protest did not go unnoticed as lawyers, journalists, friends of the late suspect and others condemned the alleged inhuman treatment meted out to Ejioye and his eventual death.
Ejioye’s Family’s Lawyer’s Brief On The Unfortunate Death
Yakubu Eleto Chambers, the law firm handling the matter for the Ejioye’s family, in a release on Monday, May 10, and signed by Madu Ozioma Nwogu, Esq, the Deputy Head of the Chambers, narrated how the late young man was arrested, detained, tortured and died in police custody.
“Our brief reveals that late Omolola Ejioye was unjustly arrested at Ladega, Ikorodu, around 8pm on Sunday, the 2nd day of May, 2021, where he was whisked in a commando manner and later detained in Igbogbo Police Station in Ikorodu till Tuesday morning when he was transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department, Panti, Adekunle, Lagos State, on the 4th day of May, 2021″, the release said.
It was alleged that the police demanded and collected sums of money at different times for different purposes when Ejioye’s family and friends visited Panti to secure his release.
“Our brief reveals further that one Inspector Bisi took him from Ikorodu to Panti and handed him over to one Babatunde in Panti D4 department and the same Babatunde collected some amount of money to open a file for the case in Panti.
“We were also briefed that Supol Bola also on Tuesday collected another sum of money from the family to carryout coroner inquest on the person who earlier died in the Okada riders clash in Ikorodu and it should be noted that the deceased was unjustly arrested due to the death of one Okada rider in Ikorodu”, the release alleged.
“On Thursday, the Investigation Police Officer collected another sum of money for mobilisation to Ikorodu to investigate the scene of the death of the Okada rider.
“Our client’s family and friends, thereafter, visited the SCIID Panti where they requested for the release of the deceased on the 5th day of May 2021 but all efforts were to no avail”.
Yakubu Eleto Chambers, in the signed statement, said that the family discovered that their son had been subjected to torture by inmates and all efforts to get his administrative bail proved abortive.
“Few days before the untimely death of our client, the family and friends further requested for the administrative bail of our client but the police asked them to bring #100,000 (One Hundred Thousand Naira) which they couldn’t produce.
“They firmly told the police officer that they had just #28,000 (Twenty Eight Thousand Naira) which the officer on duty rejected. Hence, they denied the deceased bail but the family insisted on seeing the deceased to appraise his health conditions.
“Eventually, when the family was able to see him, they noticed he had been subjected to torture by inmates and soaked with bruises and blood stains”, the law firm further alleged.
Unfortunately, on May 7 when the family and friends again visited the SCID, Pant, to further press for administrative bail of Ejioye, they were told that he died in the middle of the night.
“Our clients on that premise requested for the bail but the Inspector Bola of D4 further denied our clients administrative bail on the night of 6th May, 2021, despite the deteriorating health condition of our client and upon getting to the SCIID, Panti, on Friday the 7th day of May, 2021, our clients were told that the OMOLOLA EJIOYE died in the middle of the night. TEARS!!!”.
While calling for justice in the death of Ejioye, Yakubu Eleto Chambers also called for thorough investigation into what actually led to the death of their client and vowed to challenge what they termed unprofessional conduct of Inspector Bola.
The family also requested an autopsy examination to determine Ejioye’s death and the release of his remains for proper burial.
“While we condemn in its entire entirety the facts leading to the death of Mr Omolola Ejioye, we vow that this unprofessional act of Inspector Bola will never go unchallenged.
“We are, therefore, forced to make this public in a bid to inform the general public of the real circumstances that led to the death of our client and to serve as a deterrent to others.
“Having seen clearly that our client died unprecedentedly in the hands of the police, we are, hereby, requesting for an autopsy report on the cause of the death of our client.
“We are also requesting that police release the corpse to the family for befitting burial for our clients and furnish us with the police investigation report”, the family lawyer said.
Community People Call For Justice
Meanwhile, a cross section of residents have condemned what they termed ‘extra – judicial killing’ of Ejioye in the Police custody and called for thorough investigation to reveal what actually happened.
Tunde Kolawole, in his reaction, described Ejioye’s death as tragic, adding that the gross abuse that led to the massive protest against the police are still very much in existence.
He alleged that the Nigerian Police lack the capacity to engage in investigation and always resort to torture.
“This is sad and very tragic. It means that the SARS are alive and still kicking. The police have learnt nothing new and have not forgotten any of their murderous old habits.
“What they specialize in is torture. They lack the mental capacity to do any diligent investigation.
“Seems Panti has become the new human abattoir and partly the reason they would not allow anyone to go in there with a phone.
“May the murderers never find peace until they have been brought to justice”.
He also called for protest against the alleged killing by the Police.
“To kick start the campaign to get justice for him (Ejioye), it will be advisable to get his relations, friends and human rights activists to go and stage demonstrations in front of Panti.“We have to stop all this nonsense in this country. If you can get his family to reach us, we would be willing to lend a helping hand”, he said.
Akinpelu Sherif Lanre, also reacting to the sad development, also condemned the alleged killing.
“This is so sad! It shows that it could happen to anyone. May God forgive his sins & grant him Aljannah Fridaus! May God also grant his family the fortitude to bear the loss.
“As for those who will not speak the truth to powers that be, what goes around comes around!”, he said.
Eleto Yakubu, who said that he had called SCID Panti on the matter, further commented that there is need to forward a petition against the alleged torture and killing of the late suspect.
“I have gathered the relevant facts from sources close to late Eji. I have also put a call through to the police at Panti to confirm the (situation) on the ground situation.
“We need to write our position as family, friends and associates and feed the public with the real fact leading to the death of Mr Eji.
“If you have further relevant information, let’s endeavor to send such as inbox messages.
“An injury to one; is an injury to all”, he said.
Adeniyi Agunbiade, in his own reaction, said that justice must prevail while calling on the media to take up the matter.
“Justice must prevail. All ikorodu media platforms should take it as a task. May his gentle soul rest in peace”.
Junaid Kazeem Kunle who said that the situation means that nobody is safe, charged that the perpetrators should be brought to book.
“So saddened to hear this. I don’t know him but I have seen his close friends keep posting his demise.
“The perpetrators should be dealt with accordingly. What a society we live in. Nobody is safe”, he said.
“May God Almighty forgive his shortcomings and grant him alijanat fridouse. Ameen.
Another resident, Muizdeen Ayodele said that the death of Ejioye allegedly in the hands of policemen is cruel.
“It’s cruel from an institution and men, designed and trained to protect lives & property. May his soul rest in peace”.
Also,Tokunbo Ademoye, who said that late Ejioye was his best friend and innocent, alleged that police at Panti demanded for N1million for his bail and that the amount was negotiated to N100, 000.
“Supl. Bola and Mr Babatunde requested for N1m from me and we dragged from N1m to N200k, 150k, N130k and later concluded at N100k for Ejioye’s bail.
“I received a call that Ejioye has been released but Supl. Bola and Babatunde used delay tactics for me in order to collect money for his bail”.
He, therefore, called for justice for the death of his late friend.
Murjanatu Suleiman, while also commenting, said:
“I am telling you, they must pay for this. Supl. Bola at Panti section D4 is the woman police that demanded for the money on Thursday night. She saw the condition of this man (Ejioye) but fail(ed) to release him (insisting) that the money must be provided”, he alleged.
Adewale Adekunle, who also reacted, said:
“Injustice everywhere in Nigeria. No equality before the law, Panti is a slaughter zone and justice must be served right to the innocent soul”, he too alleged.
“The evil SARS are still working underground, assaulting innocent citizens. What a woeful government? I pray the right people take up the case and get to the bottom of this and refuse all attempts to get their mouth sealed up”.
Atama Aweh John also called for professionalism on the part of the Police if they don’t want their conduct to lead to another protest that will be bigger than the #EndSARS protest.
“And when citizens campaign against police brutality, the police felt they have been tagged bad and brutal.
“Every innocent citizen that suffers in the hands of the police always goes with anger and plans for retaliation.
“If the police refuse to be professional in handling cases, the next protest that may graduate to revolution may be caused by the police. The police should obey the law by investigating before arrest in order to reduce the rate of illegal detention, harassment and high degree brutality”, he said.
Oluwakoya Omogbolahan Francis also called for justice for Ejioye.
“Injury to one, injury to all.
“We plea and cry out for justice over Omolola Ejioye for being wrongly accused of murder and his consequent arrest on Sunday 2nd of May, leading to his death on Friday 7th of May, in the custody of the Nigeria police (Panti).
Meanwhile, in a chat with the Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Olumuyiwa Adejobi, on Monday (yesterday), he promised to look into the allegations and revert back to our reporter. But as at the time of going to the press, he has not gotten back as promised.
