The Ogun State Police Command has refuted claims that a suspect named Ezekiel Okewusi died in the police cell at Ajuwon Police Station after spending four days there. Contrary to assertions, the police clarified that the suspect passed away in the hospital, where he had been admitted due to complaints of body pains.
The denial comes in response to a petition submitted by Alayo Akanbi, a Lagos-based lawyer representing the Okewusi family. The petition urged the Ogun State Commissioner of Police, Abiodun Alamutu, to investigate the circumstances surrounding Ezekiel Okewusi’s alleged death in police custody. According to the lawyer, Okewusi was accused of stealing a phone and was purportedly beaten to the point of death by the Oodua Peoples Congress before being handed over to the police at Ajuwon Divisional Police.
Akanbi’s petition asserted that instead of providing immediate medical attention or allowing the family to administer care, the police allegedly detained Okewusi in a cell, where he eventually passed away four days later. The incident was reported to have occurred on December 15, 2023, at the Ajuwon Police Station.
The lawyer emphasized that eyewitnesses claimed Okewusi had been severely beaten by his assailants, who employed excessive force, resulting in serious injuries. Okewusi was allegedly dumped at the Ajuwon Police Station on December 11, 2023, and succumbed to his injuries while in police custody on December 15, 2023.
The petition highlighted concerns over the violation of Okewusi’s rights, citing the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, which prohibits torture, inhuman treatment, and degrading conditions. The family called for a thorough investigation into the actions of the police officers at Ajuwon Police Station, asserting that detaining Okewusi for four days without charging him to court was illegal.