Taofeek Azeez, a 40-year-old man, died in police custody at Agbeye in Odo-Otin Local Government Area of Osun State, and now his family is calling for justice.
Chronicle NG gathered that Azeez died in custody soon after local vigilantes arrested him on suspicion of stealing cocoa seeds.
Reports say he was arrested on Wednesday and brought to the palace of the Alagbeye of Agbeye before being transferred into police custody.
A video obtained by Chronicle NG showed the deceased being flogged and paraded half-naked as he was taken to the palace.
Speaking with the press on Friday, the deceased’s brother, Fatai Alimi, accused the police of complicity and urged the Osun State Commissioner of Police to investigate the circumstances surrounding Azeez’s death.
“On Tuesday morning, he left the house for the farm, and it was later that day we learned that he had been taken to the police station for allegedly stealing cocoa seeds.
“Before that, he was taken to the palace, where he was subjected to corporal punishment and stripped naked.
“It was surprising to hear that he had killed himself inside the cell; his death looks suspicious.
“Someone whose clothes had been torn was said to have been wearing clothes when his neck was found dangling, so we urge the police and the state government to intervene.
“He was a father of six children with three wives, and he also left behind an aged mother,” he said.
While confirming the incident, the Osun State Police Public Relations Officer, Abiodun Ojelabi, said that the deceased took his own life while in police custody.
“The deceased was apprehended by the community for allegedly stealing cocoa seeds,” Ojelabi told journalists in Osogbo.
“After arresting him, they took him to the monarch of the town, and the king instructed that they should hand him over to the police. He was taken to the police outpost, where he was questioned and subsequently detained,” the police spokesperson added.
“A few hours later, when the officer went to check on him in the cell, he had committed suicide,” Ojelabi stated.
The spokesperson mentioned that the officer in charge of the cell would be interrogated, adding that the deceased’s family had been contacted.
“We are taking necessary steps to interrogate the officer in question, but our investigation so far shows that it is a case of suicide,” Ojelabi added.
