A newlywed man, Abdulmujid Oduga, has allegedly died from torture while in police custody at the Ikota Police Post in the Ajah area of Lagos State. His death has sparked outrage among family members and social media users, who are demanding justice.
Oduga was arrested following a misunderstanding with his neighbor, and he was taken into custody at the Ikota Police Post. However, reports indicate that he was subjected to severe torture, which allegedly led to his death.
Family and Friends Demand Justice
Social media users, including relatives of the deceased, have taken to X (formerly Twitter) to call for an investigation into Oduga’s death. One user, @Omoiyacele, who identified himself as Oduga’s cousin, accused the police of murdering him and secretly transferring his body to a morgue in Epe.
“My cousin, Late Abdulmujid Igbamitayo Oduga, was murdered by @PoliceNG just because of a mere misunderstanding between him and his neighbor,” he wrote. “He died at the Ikota Police Post under Ajiwe Police Station. His corpse was deposited in Epe.”
He called on the Nigeria Police to investigate the circumstances of Oduga’s death, saying, “We urge the Nigeria Police to help our family look into this matter so we can know who killed our beloved son, who just got married four months ago.”
Another relative, @Cherub, also demanded justice in a separate post. “A brother was murdered at Ikota Police Post, Lagos State, in collaboration with Ajah Police Station. This can’t continue in our nation while we all keep quiet like it’s the norm. We want justice.”
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‘They Killed My Brother’
A screenshot shared by one of Oduga’s siblings revealed that he was the breadwinner of the family. The sibling accused the police of preventing him from contacting his family while he was in custody.
“They killed my brother, a whole breadwinner, just like that,” the sibling wrote. “He was arrested and locked up for a normal misunderstanding between two neighbors without any chance to contact his family and friends. He was tortured until he gave up in the police cell.”
The family is now calling on authorities and Nigerians to demand justice. “All I want right now is justice. They can’t just kill my brother and get away with it. Nigerians, please help me. He was detained without any offence. They came to arrest him at home when he was healthy, and now they are telling us he’s dead just like that.”
Police Response
When contacted, the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) of Ajiwe Police Station, Onyinye Onwuamaegbu, acknowledged that the incident happened but denied that it occurred in her custody.
“It did not happen here at the Ajiwe Police Station, not in our cell,” she said. “It happened at the Ikota Police Post. There is a superintendent in charge whom you can reach out to.”
The Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, Benjamin Hundeyin, has not yet responded to calls or messages regarding the incident.
As Oduga’s family continues to demand answers, many Nigerians are calling for an independent investigation into police brutality and unlawful detentions in the country.