By Correspondent in Lokoja.
As Nigerians mourn stampede in Ibadan,Abuja and Anambra state Ilorin, Kwara State, is gripped by outrage following the death of 35-year-old Tunji Jimoh in police custody, a tragedy that has sparked widespread calls for accountability.
Jimoh, a father and poultry worker from the Erubu-Asunnara community, was said to have been arrested on December 20, 2024, on account of a ₦220,000 debt owed to a colleague allegedly connected to a police officer.
Our correspondent in Ilorin reports that the circumstances surrounding Jimoh’s tragic end have plunged the community into mourning and raised critical questions about police conduct.
While the police claim Jimoh committed suicide, his family and the Erubu-Asunnara community vehemently dispute this, alleging foul play and demanding an independent investigation.
Sources said Jimoh was detained at the Special Investigation Bureau (SIB) of the Kwara State Police Command after his arrest.
According to family accounts, they were denied access to him late on Friday. By the next morning, he was dead.
His death, described as “suspicious” by community leaders, has left many wondering what truly transpired in those critical hours.
“Tunji’s lifeless body is said to have been deposited at a mortuary without his family’s consent,” a development the Erubu-Asunnara community lamented in a statement
Community members in the area allege that Jimoh was tortured in custody, linking his death to unresolved tensions with his creditor. These allegations are bolstered by reports suggesting that the detention facility’s structure would have made suicide implausible.
However, the Kwara State Police Command has painted a different picture.
In a statement issued by DSP Ejire Adeyemi Toun, the police described the incident as “unfortunate” and assured the public that a thorough investigation was underway.
“We will leave no stone unturned in uncovering the truth,” DSP Adeyemi assured.
However, the police claimed that the deceased committed suicide, a theory dismissed by the family and community leaders, who argue that the detention facility’s structure makes such an act implausible.
The Erubu-Asunnara community has condemned the incident in strong terms, calling for urgent action.
“Tunji’s death must not go unpunished,” said the community in a statement signed by its Chairman, Alhaji Ibrahim O. Mujeeb, and Acting General Secretary, Comrade Hassan Taiye Erubu.
Their demands are clear: a transparent investigation, accountability for any wrongdoing, and reforms to prevent similar tragedies.
They have called on Inspector General of Police, Kwara State Commissioner of Police, Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq and other stakeholders to ensure justice is served.
On social media, the hashtag #JusticeForTunji has gained traction, with activists, lawyers, and human rights organizations amplifying calls for reform.
Some members of the public in their reactions to the issue called for caution against jumping into conclusion before final investigation in the interest of peace.
“The police must be allowed to carry out their investigations, but they must do so transparently and without bias,” said a legal expert who spoke anonymously.
The legal practitioner, however, stressed that as the community mourns Jimoh’s tragic death, all eyes are on the authorities to deliver justice.
Edited by Dada Ahmed.
