A 24-year-old upcoming singer, Paul Obukowho, has reportedly died in police custody in Delta State.
He was allegedly detained and tortured to death by the men of the Rapid Response Squad (RRS), Delta State Police Command, Asaba.
According to SaharaReporters, a police source who confirmed the incident said the singer’s friend, Prosper Odili, was arrested randomly by operatives of RRS, on Wednesday along the Redeemed road Okpanam road, Oshimili North Local Government Area of the state at about 8:00am.
Prosper was taken to his house for a search, after which he was taken to the cell at the police headquarters, Asaba.
The source noted that Paul had visited the RRS office to inquire about the arrest of his friend when he was detained, handcuffed on both hands and legs before being thrown into the cell with severe torture.
The source said, “Prosper Odili was actually walking in company of a friend on Wednesday morning around 8am when men of the RRS, former SARS from police headquarters in Asaba, along the Redeemed road, Okpanam accosted and arrested them unjustly without committing any crime. The police then took the two men back to their houses for a search and after the search, nothing incriminating was found and at that point the police released one of the boys and took Prosper away and put him in the cell at the police headquarters.
“And that very day at about 5pm, the deceased Paul Obukowho went to the RRS office at the state Police command to find out what happened to warrant the arrest of his friend, Prosper and possibly find a way to bail him.
“But shockingly, as Paul got there, he was detained, handcuffed on both hands and legs and was thrown into the cell with severe torture. On Thursday night, Paul collapsed in the cell and was rushed to the police clinic, resulting from the wounds from the torture, the clinic could not handle his situation, he was referred to Specialist Hospital Asaba.
“Finally, he was referred to the Federal Medical Center, FMC Asaba, but, unfortunately for Paul, he couldn’t survive the pains and wounds from the police torture in the cell, he died. Paul died in the early hours of Saturday, at about 4:00am at the FMC, Asaba. And immediately, Paul died the men of the RRS who brought him to the hospital took to their heels and ran away from the hospital premises.”
At the time of filing this report, Paul’s corpse is reportedly lying on the floor at the FMC Asaba, with relatives and friends calling for justice, while the Delta State Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, SP Bright Edafe, has yet to issue any statement.
