…Police Asked Us For N200,000 Bribe-Sister.
.. Victims had bruises, wounds on parts of Body In Morgue- Witness
DAUD OLATUNJI, EDITOR, captures a harrowing incident where Seyi Oduyiga, a 39-year-old stylist and father of three, lost his life under mysterious circumstances after being taken into police custody in Ogun State.
Speaking exclusively to PLATFORM TIMES,his younger sister recounts the shocking events leading to Seyi’s demise, accusing the police of brutality and negligence.
The family however, is demanding justice as it uncovers disturbing details surrounding Seyi’s arrest, his alleged mistreatment in custody, and the questionable circumstances of his death.
Seyi Oduyiga’s tragic fate unfolded on Saturday, November 18, 2023, as he reportedly went out to charge his phone near his home in Atoyo, Sagamu, Ogun State. Little did he know that this routine act would lead to his arrest by a team of patrolling policemen.
His younger sister,Marry Oduyiga, narrates the heart-wrenching events that transpired thereafter, shedding light on the alleged brutality and negligence that claimed Seyi’s life.
According to Marry, Seyi was accused of being a cult member despite vehemently denying the accusation. The police justified his detention by pointing to tattoos on his body, which, in reality, were religious inscriptions.
Efforts by the family to secure his release proved futile, with the police reportedly threatening repercussions for anyone attempting to intervene.
The situation took a dark turn when Seyi was transferred to Headquarters Eleweran.
Marry, who had traveled from Ibadan, describes the agonizing moments she spent trying to see her brother.
The family’s distress intensified when, upon presenting food to Seyi, they were informed that he had been exhibiting erratic behavior in the cell and had been taken to the hospital.
Upon reaching the mortuary, the family was confronted with a horrifying scene—blood, bruises, and signs of trauma on Seyi’s body.
Marry expresses shock and suspicion, questioning the circumstances that led to her brother’s sudden demise.
Allegations of mistreatment, potential poisoning, and physical assault cast a shadow over the official account of Seyi’s death.
In their quest for justice, the family is engaging legal counsel and intends to petition authorities, including a copy to the Commissioner of Police.
Seyi’s untimely death leaves behind a grieving family, including his three young children, raising concerns about police conduct and accountability.
The family’s ordeal extends beyond Seyi’s death, as they recount dubious demands for money by police officers. An officer allegedly requested N200,000 for Seyi’s release, creating suspicions that non-compliance may have contributed to the tragic outcome.
The statement from the younger sister to the deceased is hereby produced ;
“I am Marry Oduyiga, the younger sister to Seyi Oduyiga who was killed by police in Ogun .
“On Saturday, November 18, around 5:00pm, my brother went out to charge his phone around his house on the same street.
“There was no electricity; a neighbour put on a generator, and he went there to charge his phone. His house is at Atoyo in Sagamu. He sat under the tree in front of the house where he was charging his phone and took off his clothes due to the heat.
“He saw a team of policemen on patrol, and he attempted to run away but fell down and was arrested. He was taken to Awolowo police station along with one other person.
” The police accused him of being a member of a cult, but he denied it. They took his picture and sent it to some suspected cultists who denied knowing him.
“The police said he would not be released because he had tattoos on his body, whereas the tattoos were Psalm 23.
He wrote the verse of the Bible on his body, drew the two hands of Jesus supplicating on his chest with the inscription ‘only God can judge me.’ He also wrote on his neck “the day I will never forget,” dated April 7, 2014.
“Later, we pleaded for his release, but they did not release him. They released the other person arrested, stating that the other one would be released because he did not have tattoos on his body. Seyi was denied bail.
He was arrested on Saturday evening, and we went back there on Sunday and were told that Inspector Raji was the IPO. They asked us to come back on Monday; the family representatives did not see the IPO on Monday; they said he has stepped out.
“Seyi was begging to be released since he had committed no offense. My brother who was there said the IPO threatened to ensure he made him suffer, and that whoever made an attempt to rescue him would lose his job, that nobody would rescue him.
The IPO threatened that he must be taken to Headquarters Eleweran and was eventually taken there on Tuesday.
“I was living in Ibadan; I had to come to Abeokuta on Thursday evening over the matter. I went to Eleweran on Friday and took along foodstuffs; bread, malt, and bottled water.
” When I got there, I did not meet the IPO; I was asked to wait for him. I got to Eleweran around 10:00 AM and could not see the IPO until 1:00 PM. When I first met him and told him I wanted to see my elder brother, Seyi, he said I should go out and wait until he was finished.
“When I brought the food to the officers and said I wanted to give my brother in the cell, they charged me N2,000, but I paid N1,000 to a policewoman. I was asked to taste the food and water, and they asked us to follow them and led us to the cells. We started shouting his name, Seyi, and after calling him out three times with no response, some inmates said he had been taken out by an officer. They wanted to collect the food, but we insisted on seeing him.
“As the policewoman was shouting his name, the IPO came around, blinked his eyelids to the woman, and then asked us to leave. We pleaded to give the food to Seyi. The IPO frowned at us and left angrily. We waited for a while to be asked again to hand over the food to Seyi.
“After some time, I became curious and approached a policeman that we knew who helped us to inquire about what happened. He told us that they were making arrangements to set some inmates free; maybe our brother was among them.
“After some hours, I lost my patience, went back to the policewoman, and pleaded to be allowed to see him and give him the food. She agreed and took us to the cells again. Some inmates said he had been taken out since morning; we were later called upstairs to meet the Deputy Commissioner.
” We did not know he wanted to break bad news to us; he then said, “Your boy was misbehaving in the cell overnight; he was biting the inmates, talking to himself; he was behaving like he has run mad. They have taken him to the hospital, and on getting to the hospital, he gave up.
” He just stopped breathing.” I asked him how a human being could just stop breathing like that; he said he could die while walking on the street, playing on the field, and falling, and what would we do then. I asked him why he was talking like that. He said he had been taken to the mortuary, and we were led to the mortuary.
“On getting to the mortuary, we saw blood on his body; we saw some holes with blood; they had even stitched the area. I was confused that the police could deposit our man in a mortuary, embalmed him without our notice.
” It means there is something fishy. It could mean that he might have been poisoned; they might have hit his head with a gun butt; I saw bruises on his body. I saw bruises on his back; he bled; I saw blood in his eyes. He died on Friday.
“Before he died, he was given a phone to call home; he spoke with my cousin and begged him that he should be fast to take him out of the place because he could not withstand what he was facing.
“We were told that his eyes were tied, legs tied, and turned upside down. There was blood in his eyes; there was blood in his body. We are talking to some lawyers. They said they would write a petition and send it to Abuja and copy the Commissioner of Police.
“They have got some information from me and promised to visit Eleweran. He was 39 years old. He was married with three kids. One is 6, one is 3, and the other is 7 years old. He was a stylist. He traveled to South Africa and got his tattoo. He had been back since 2018/19. He was the firstborn and the only male child in the family of four.
“We don’t have any parents. We lost our dad last year. Even if he got sick, you could have told us that he was taken to the hospital.
“They asked us to do an affidavit to claim the body just like that. Before then, an officer called us (my cousin) Officer Peter called my cousin and asked us to call the new IPO. Officer Akinwale told my cousin that he should meet the officer, and the officer told my cousin that he should bring N200,000.
“He said that money is not part of the bail; once he brings the money, they would work it out and ensure he is released.
” My cousin told him (Peter) that he should allow him to meet the family members and gather the money. Maybe because we did not send the money, that is why they killed him.
When contacted for her reaction, the Police Public Relations Officer in the state,Omolola Odutola had yet to respond as of the time of filing this report .
Odutola was contacted via her phone number, through a WhatApp message which she read but, had not responded.
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