President of the Committee for the Defense of Human Rights (CDHR), Comrade Prince Kehinde Taiga, has spoken out about the death of one Paul Obukowho, who passed away after being arrested by the Nigeria police in Delta State.
In a telephone chat with Emerald News, Taiga implored the state commissioner of police, Olufemi Abaniwonda, to carry out a very thorough investigation into the death of the youth to ascertain the actual cause of his death.
In his words: “The police commissioner should carry out discreet investigation to unravel all the truth to know whether Obukohwo was actualised to death or died due to illhealth.”
However, Taiga told this reporter that arising from personal investigation, he said the young man’s death was not caused by police brutality or assault but rather by underlying health conditions that were triggered by the shock of the arrest.
Taiga explained that Obukowho had been suffering from ailments that went undiagnosed at the time, and that these health issues were aggravated during the arrest.
He emphasized that medical tests conducted on the deceased revealed no evidence of police brutality as the cause of death.
Taiga elaborated on the circumstances surrounding the arrest, stating that Obukowho had been taken to the hospital after showing signs of illness shortly after the arrest.
He was found foaming at the mouth and was rushed to the hospital, where a series of tests were conducted. The results, according to Taiga, confirmed that Obukowho had a history of drug addiction, and none of the tests indicated that the police had caused his death through assault.
“The youth in question had health issues, and the medical tests conducted revealed significant health challenges.
“The police did everything possible to ensure he received treatment, but unfortunately, it wasn’t enough.
“His death was not a result of police brutality but rather due to health complications that were triggered during the arrest,” Taiga said.
He further noted that the incident started when police conducted a raid on a drug cartel, and during the raid, individuals fled the scene.
“The police later saw three youths coming from the direction of the raid, and two were arrested after they began throwing stones at police vehicles.
Obukowho initially fled, later returned to the RRS command, where he was identified, arrested, and placed in custody.
Taiga emphasized that while some police officers may exhibit poor behavior, it would be unjust to generalize and label the entire force as corrupt or violent.
He commended the police for paying for all of Obukowho’s medical expenses, including tests and treatment, before his death.
However, Taiga also urged the Nigerian police to work within the bounds of the law, respect human rights, and ensure that brutality is excluded from their duties.
“No human being should be treated like an animal. We are all Nigerians, and without the citizens, there wouldn’t be a Nigeria Police Force.
“The police must serve the people and build trust through respectful service. They should not see themselves as above the law or as demi-gods because of their access to weapons,” Taiga stated.
Taiga called for reforms within the Nigerian police to ensure they operate in accordance with the law and protect the rights of all Nigerians.
Taiga, who commiserated with the family over the death of their son, said no amount of money from anybody would be enough compensation for the death of a promising young man.
