Nigerian Family Demands Justice For 36-Year-Old Man Who Died In Lagos Police Cell Over Alleged Misappropriation Of N2Million Company Fund

The family of 36-year-old Okubo Omokhinyeme Abayomo, an employee of Exus Pharmaceutical Nigeria Limited has appealed to the Acting Inspector General of Police, (IGP) Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun to investigate the death of their son who allegedly died while in police custody, in Lagos State.

It was gathered that Abayomo was accused misappropriating the sum of two million, thirty-six thousand, nine hundred and five naira, belonging to the company, Exus Pharmaceutical Nigeria Limited where he was working.

Abayomo, who left his station in Ekiti State, to the company’s head office in Lagos to explain what happened and how the money would be paid back, was arrested and detained at Ejinrin police station in Ketu, Lagos State on the company’s orders.

In an audio tape obtained by SaharaReporters, a lady who identified herself as Yinka, noted that the deceased was still working with the company, with his salary on hold, when he was arrested, noting that he didn’t run away.

She explained that the late Abayomo who didn’t have money for transportation rode on a bike from Ekiti to Lagos voluntarily to be in talk with the company.

Yinka said, “He is actually working with the said company, so they transferred him down to Ekiti to work. The issue of money truly happened and they stopped supplying him with drugs, and at the same time, they stopped paying his salary.

“The company didn’t invite him to their head office in Lagos to question him on what happened, no mail, no questioning, nothing. So voluntarily, he left Ekiti on the said day to Lagos to explain what happened. Not that he ran away or they looked for him to arrest. As of the day he went to Lagos, he was still working with them.

“He went to Lagos on that day and when he got to their office, he was arrested and they took him to Panti. He called the younger sister that he was in Lagos and the company had arrested him and taken him to Panti.

“The younger sister said no problem, that first thing tomorrow morning, she was going to be in Lagos to meet the elder brother. Only for the younger sister to get to the police station and meet Abayomo’s corpse. He was dead.

“According to the police, they said he slumped and died, only God knows. Not that this guy ran away with the money, he was still working with the company. In fact, this very day he came to Lagos, he didn’t have money for transportation because of this fuel increment of a thing. He fuelled his bike and rode all the way from Ekiti down to Lagos to report himself voluntarily.

“Abayomo cannot just die like a chicken, he was healthy, not that he had any form of ailment he was dealing with or something. He was healthy as at when he was arrested. He was healthy, there was nothing wrong with him.

“Somebody that you arrested alive, he was healthy, you took him to the police station. How come he died in police custody and they are claiming he just slumped and died? That was the information they are giving to the family.”

However, one of the deceased’s siblings, while speaking with SaharaReporters said she was told that her brother was dead when she went to the station to see him.

According to her, the police said they saw him unconscious in the cell and that they tried to rush him to the hospital but he didn’t make it.

She said, “He told me about the money he owed the company and he said they’ve called him from the company head office and he would go to explain everything to them and how to pay them.

“So he called me on the 17th of July around past 11 am that he was already at the head office at Ketu Ejinrin and I asked him what was going to happen but he said they were about to arrest him. He said he would keep me updated on everything.

“He called me again at past 5 pm and said he had been taken to the police station around the head office. He said he had been detained.

“I asked him if I could still come over but he said I shouldn’t worry that it was already late. He said that I should come the following day and I told him that I would be there. I went there and I got there around 2 pm on Wednesday which was on the 19th of July.

“On getting there, I saw a man under a tree and greeted him not knowing that he’s the DPO of the station, and I just went straight to the counter.

“And they asked me if I am Yomi’s younger sister that he said was coming and I said yes. They delayed me a bit because their boss was busy and I waited. They later came to call and he said I should come.

“On getting to where he was, I told him that Abayomo is my biological brother so he just said he’s dead that they saw him unconscious in the cell and that they tried to rush him to the hospital but he couldn’t make it.

“On that day, they prevented me from seeing him. They said he had been taken to the mortuary. They said I should meet them at police headquarters the following day and that the case had been transferred to Panti.

“Later on that day, the manager of the company came and was just looking at me; he couldn’t say anything.”

“Till now, they’ve not called from the company,” she added.

The manager of the company told SaharaReporters that Yomi was arrested to explain the deficiency in his account.

The manager who said the company regretted what happened to Yomi, stated that the company was awaiting the police report to determine their next line of action.

Meanwhile, the Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, Benjamin Hundeyin who also confirmed the incident to SaharaReporters said the case was at the State Criminal Investigation Department, SCID, Yaba.

He noted that an autopsy would determine the cause of death.

He said, “A pharmaceutical company reported he embezzled two million, thirty-six thousand, nine hundred and five naira. He was arrested and detained on 18/07/2023 and on 19/07/2023 he collapsed in the cell.”

“He was taken to hospital where he was later pronounced dead. No signs/marks of violence on his body. Case at SCID now. An autopsy will determine the cause of death,” the police spokesman added.