By Victor Akinkuolie, Ado-Ekiti

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The circumstances surrounding the death of a middle-aged man, Shittu Ademola, who allegedly died in police custody during interrogation, is yet to be unravelled.

At the time of filing the report, unconfirmed reports alleged that this suspect died as a result of  torture.

The victim, an indigene of Ido-Ekiti, in the Ido/Osi Local Government Area of Ekiti State, was said to have died in the custody of operatives of the Rapid Response Squad (RRS), attached to the Ekiti State Police Command, while undergoing interrogation.

According to a source close to the family of the deceased in Ido-Ekiti, he alleged that the deceased was severely brutalised by the police before he passed away.

The late suspect said to be under investigation, was recently arrested by the operatives for armed robbery, attempted murder, unlawful possession of firearms, and cultism,

It was gathered that the late Ademola, alongside others, at about 19:20 on the fateful day, besieged the residence of one Mrs. Haniyat Abubakry, in the Omisanjanna area of Ado-Ekiti.

The robbers were reported to have attacked her and dispossessed her of a black Toyota Camry, an iPhone 12 Pro Max valued at N750,000, a gold hand chain valued at N600,000, an Infinix phone valued at N120,000, a Nokia handset valued at N55,000, a cash sum of N250,000, her Automated Teller Machine (ATM) cards, and other belongings at gunpoint.

During interrogation said to be in both video and written statements to the police, the late Ademola was said to have confessed to the crime.

He allegedly further admitted that he supplied the gun used by the gang in their operations.

The late suspect also confessed to being a member of the Supreme Eiye Confraternity. During a search of his house, police recovered a single-barrel gun loaded with cartridges and a cut-to-size barrel gun.

However, responding to allegations of torture and brutality, the Ekiti State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Mr. Sunday Abutu, who spoke  on behalf of the Commissioner of Police, dismissed the claims that the suspect died in custody due to police brutality.

He described the allegations as untrue and a fabricated attempt to undermine the morale of the police in the state, who are regarded as a threat to hardened criminals.

According to the statement: “While the command sympathises with the family of the deceased, we want to categorically state that the allegation is baseless, false, and a calculated attempt by faceless criminal elements to undermine the efforts of the police operatives in the state, in order for these criminals to have free reign in society.

“The Command deemed it necessary to respond in order to prevent misinformation and ensure that law-abiding citizens are not misled, even though the criminals who fabricated the story remain faceless and have failed to substantiate their allegations.

“The late suspect, Ademola, while in police custody with other detainees, was attacked and bitten by one of the suspects, Mohammad Laval, who also bit two other detainees who tried to intervene before the cell guard arrived.

“He later developed complications due to the serious bite/attack and was immediately rushed to the Police Hospital in Ado-Ekiti for treatment.

“The deceased was subsequently referred to the Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital (EKSUTH), Ado-Ekiti, where he was admitted for treatment.

“He was later confirmed dead by doctors. His body has been deposited in the morgue for preservation and a possible autopsy.”