Group accuses Ogun police of extra-judicial murder of detainee, Adetiba Sunday

The Centre for Human Rights and Social Justice (CHRSJ) has accused police operatives attached to the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (Federal SARS) in Magbon, Abeokuta of extra-judicial murder of a detainee, Mr. Sunday Adetiba.
According to the group, Adetiba, a 29 year-old man who was arrested last week Thursday, died from gunshot wounds he sustained at the hands of the operatives of SARS who stormed his workshop in Ogijo town in Ogun State.
According a statement issued on Wednesday by the Executive Chairman of CHRSJ, Comrade Adeniyi Alimi Sulaiman, ‘’the deceased was a victim of police brutality who was gruesomely murdered as a result of minor quarrel between him and some of his colleagues who sell metal products in Ogijo area of the state.’’
Sulaiman said that Adetiba, who worked as a contractor alongside others at Phonex Steel Company, located in Ogijo was accused by his colleagues of being a member of an armed robbery syndicate.
“Rather than investigate the claims, which in our own opinion was done out of malice, the police stormed his workshop armed to the teeth to effect his arrest. From all indications, we have been told that he did not resist arrest being a lawful citizen, but the police operatives opened fire on him.
“From the gunshots to the legs, he sustained a mortal injury, which we have been told have resulted in his death as he was not availed any form of treatment in the last one week since they took him away.”
Sulaiman specifically accused an operative of the squad popularly known as Ogedengbe as the chief culprit who led the men and who is believed to have fired the fatal shots to the legs of the deceased.
Other members of the SARS team that effected the arrest, according to the group in the statement are, Ojoge and another commonly known as Airtel who is said to be attached to Ogijo Police Divisional Headquarters.
Apart from terminating the life of the victim, Sulaiman also accused the police of torturing the wife of Adetiba, Adejoke Awolaru-Adetiba who is heavily pregnant.
“I was told that the wife of the deceased was severely battered by these men when she visited the police station in Ogijo before he was transferred to Abeokuta. She was beaten to a pulp by these officers, not minding her delicate condition.” Sulaiman wrote in the statement.
The group also stated that the harassment of the family members of the deceased has continued as the operatives have vowed to arrest a friend of Adetiba simply known as Abiodun whom they accused of informing the family of the arrest of his friend.
Sulaiman said, “We are ready to see to the end of this case. We are determined to bring the culprits to book and we will not spare any efforts whatsoever in seeking redress for the deceased who was clearly extra-judicially murdered by the police in their custody.”
While calling on the state commissioner of police, Iliyasu Ahmad to investigate the tragedy, the group said it has filed its petition with the relevant authorities such as the office of the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), the Police Service Commission, the National Assembly and the Presidency.