The Ekiti State police command has said the allegation that a suspect, Shittu Rasaq Adeola, was tortured to death by the command is false and misleading.
DSP Sunday Abutu, the command’s spokesman, said the allegation is fake and a calculated attempt by faceless criminal element to cripple the morale of the operatives of the Rapid Response Squad (RRS) who are terrors to hardened criminals.
“Shittu Rasaq Adeola did not die in RRS detention, rather, he died while receiving treatment at the hospital,” he added.
Abutu said the victim, now late, was arrested on September 13 and was being investigated in connection with a case of armed robbery, attempted murder, unlawful possession of firearms and cultism.
While in police cell on September 19 together with other suspects, he was attacked and beaten by another suspect, Mohammed Lawal Abass.
“Shittu developed complications as a result of the serious bite and attack and was rushed to the police hospital in Ado-Ekiti for treatment.
“He was further referred to Ekiti State Teaching Hospital, (EKSUTH), Ado-Ekiti and admitted for treatment but later confirmed dead by the medical doctor.”
The suspects in the cell at the time of the incident narrated how Mohammed Lawal Abass attacked Shittu Rasaq Adeola.
The gang members arrested, including Shittu Rasaq Adeola, all confessed to numerous snatching of cars, and motorcycles, robbery attacks and murder of POS operators in Ado-Ekiti, Ikere and Ilawe-Ekiti.
His corpse has been deposited at the mortuary for autopsy.
