Man dies inside police cell in Ebonyi
By Chinwe Imo-Eze Onwosi
A young man identified as Ogbonnia from Ihie in Ishiagu, Ivo Local Government Area of Ebonyi State has reportedly died in police Custody.
THE VOICE gathered that the deceased who was allegedly detained alongside other suspects following a petition against them by a prominent politician in the area died after alledgedly defecating and urinating in the cell.
The Ohanaeze Youth Leader, Demian Okafor, who hails from the area said he had called for the unconditional release of all those arrested in connection with the said petition, even as he urged the police to contact the immediate family of the deceased on how to manage the situation.
Thou Okafor revealed that efforts made by his office to secure the release of the arrested youths from the police custody had proven abortive, as he lamented that since the news of the death of one of the suspects, the community has been in shock.
He revealed that the community where the deceased hails from would want to conduct an autopsy on the body to determine the actual cause of the death.
Okafor, however, urged the police to always exhibit professionalism in the discharge of their duties and not become tools in the hands of politicians.
He said, “There has been an unfortunate political arrest of Ishiagu Youths by police which has led to the untimely death of one Mr Ogbonnia (the only surviving son of their family) from Ihie Ishiagu in police detention.
“Earlier yesterday (13/09/2021) I received calls that one of the youths arrested died in the police custody.”
When contacted, the Ebonyi State Police Commissioner, CP Aliyu Garba confirmed the death of the suspect but disclosed that the deceased did not die in police custody but in a hospital where he was rushed for medical attention.
According to him, “I was not around when the incident happened but when I asked, I was told that the deceased suspect was beaten up by other detainees because he was said to have urinated and defecated inside the cell.”
Garba said that the suspects who beat the deceased to death have all been arrested and are currently being interrogated.
