The suspect simply identified as Ejovi Edaferiemu was said to have been tortured to death after he was arrested by men of police B Division in Warri, commercial hub of the state for alleged robbery.
Sources disclosed that the deceased alongside one Abdullahi Shaibu, a commercial tricyclist in Effurun were arrested as suspected armed robbers by policemen from B Division and transferred to the state CID where the victim died in police custody following severe torture by policemen.
It was learnt that since the incident, the state police command had refused to release the corpse of the deceased to the family. The police are also still holding on to Abdullahi Shaibu, who was also arrested alongside the deceased.
In a petition dated 13, July, 2015 to the Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG) Zone 5, Benin, human right lawyer, Oghenejabor Ikimi alleged that the deceased was callously and extra-judicially killed by policemen who tortured him to death without being charged
Giving a graphic details of the incident, Ikimi wrote in his petition made available to newsmen; "We have been briefed and our professional services retained by MESSRS 1) FRANK OKODU, 2) YAKUBU SHAIBU and 3) YUNUSA SALIFU, hereinafter referred to as OUR CLIENTS and it is on their very clear and unequivocal instructions as the respective relatives of the above mentioned persons, we write your esteemed office.
"It is our brief that on the 15th day of June, 2015, at about 2:00pm, the Divisional Police Officer, B Division, Warri led some Men of the Nigeria Police Force to the School field of John F. Kennedy International School in Effurun on a tip off to recover an allegedly abandoned stolen vehicle, wherein, Mr. Ejovi Edaferiemu whose mechanic workshop shares a common boundary and Mr. Abdullahi Shaibu, a commercial tricyclist in Effurun were arrested as armed robbers among others by the above Policemen.
"It is also our brief that when our clients went to the abovementioned Police Station to enquire of the offence committed by the suspects, they were informed that the suspects have been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Asaba for further investigations.
"At the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) Asaba, our clients were informed that the suspects have been transferred back to B Division, Warri, where our clients were again informed that the suspects have been handed over to the Men of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad, Asaba.
"It is our further brief that upon enquires from the Men of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad, our clients were advised to search for the suspects at the various Police Stations in Warri and environs.
"However, after a further comprehensive search and enquiries from the nearby Police Stations and Prisons, our clients had no option than to go back to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Asaba, where one of the suspects, Mr. Abdullahi Shaibu was found in detention.
"It is our further brief that at the State Criminal Investigation Department, (SCID), Asaba, one of our clients was granted access on the 25th day of June, 2015 to see and speak with one of the suspects, who informed our said client that Mr. Ejovi Edaferiemu and himself were arrested the same time by the Men of B Division, Warri, that Mr. Ejovi Edaferiemu was tortured to death in his presence on the 18th day of June, 2015 by Men of the State Criminal Investigation Department, (SCID), Asaba after both of them were transferred to Asaba.
"It is our brief that the surviving suspect further informed our client that it was just by Allahs grace he survived the various prolonged tortures both at B Division, Warri and the State Criminal Investigation Department, (SCID), Asaba.
"That it was after the death of Mr. Ejovi Edaferiemu, he was rushed to the hospital for treatment by the said Policemen at Asaba, after he collapsed from the tortures meted on him.
"It is also our further brief, that thereupon, our client requested for the phone number of the Investigating Police Officer (IPO), in the person of Inspector Iboyi who asked our client to give him the ransom of N150,000.00 (One hundred and fifty thousand naira) only to enable him charge the suspect to Court, otherwise, he would be tortured to death like Mr. Ejovi Edaferiemu.
"That our clients who are unable to provide the said amount of money demanded by Inspector Iboyi have briefed our Law Firm to write this petition to your esteemed office in a bid to causing a discreet and unbiased investigations into the above complaints of our clients and to release the corpse of Mr. Ejovi Edaferiemu to the family members whose whereabouts the Police are presently silent on.
"That Inspector Iboyi had chorused again to our clients that he would charge the suspect to Court only when our clients give him the above stated amount of money.
"That it is in the light of the above, we call on you Sir, to order an independent and an impartial inquest into the extra-judicial murder of Mr. Ejovi Edaferiemu who died as a result of torture he received from Men of the B Division of the Nigeria Police Station, Warri and Men of the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) and to also investigate the complaints of Mr. Abdullahi Shaibu, as justice delayed is justice denied".
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