Taiwo Popoola
The family of Olatunji Jimoh, a detainee who died in police detention under questionable circumstances at the police command headquarters in Ilorin, Kwara State capital, has cried out for justice.
A press statement issued by Counsel, Olukayode Oloyede and Owolabi Olumuyiwa Tayo, in Ilorin on Friday, on behalf of the family, appealed to the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq of Kwara State, the Emir of Ilorin, Alhaji Ibrahim Sulu Gambari and the National Assembly, to come to the rescue of Olatunji Jimoh’s family and the Balogun Fulani community in Ilorin Emirate, in the efforts to secure justice.
Olatunji Jimoh was allegedly murdered on December 2, 2024, over a N220,000 debt reportedly owed by him.
They lamented that despite efforts and resources put in place to determine the cause of Olatunji’s death, the police have refused to provide the family with a copy of the autopsy result conducted a month ago on the deceased but released two weeks ago.
The press statement read in part; “Distinguished members of the press, it is our honour to call upon you again regarding the ongoing justice for Olatunji’s case. We, the concerned citizens of Nigeria, both at home and abroad, have been following the case of Olatunji, who died in the custody of the Nigeria Police Force in llorin, Kwara State, on December 20, 2024.
“We have put every effort and resource in place to determine the cause of Olatunji’s death and we are pleading with the Nigeria Police to release to the family with the results of the autopsy that was conducted a month ago.
“We, the family of Olatunji, realized that ever since the result was released two weeks ago, the Nigeria Police in Kwara State have been evading providing the family with a copy of the result. They have been telling one lie after another, directing us to the doctor, who then directed us back to them. They fully know that the results do not in any way indicate that the late Olatunji hanged himself.
”We are calling on the National Assembly to help investigate and look wholistically at this case to help in this horrible, terrible and inhuman situation. Because if we leave them without being punished, Nigeria is sleeping on a time bomb which will soon explode in the hands of some unprofessional Nigerian police.
“In conclusion, we have written a letter to His Royal Highness, the Emir of llorin in regards to this and we are awaiting his response,” the statement added.
