Lagos barber dies after 28 days in police custody
By the AFREEQUE newsroom, based on Punch
Barber Babajide Adelowo died on 4 November, a day after his release, following 28 days in custody at Lagos police premises, where his family says he was tortured. According to his uncle Samson Adelowo, cited by Punch, officers from the X-Squad unit arrested him on 6 October at his Iyana-Iba workshop for possession of firearms, but found nothing during the search.
Nigerian barber Babajide Adelowo died a day after his release, on 3 November, following 28 days in police custody in Lagos. His family accuses officers from the X-Squad of the Lagos State Police Command of torturing him while in custody, according to Punch.
The family notably claims that Adelowo was repeatedly suspended from a weightlifting bar, with his hands and legs tied, to the point that he could no longer walk or feed himself. His uncle Samson Adelowo also says police seized his phone, generator, chairs and other items from his business and restricted access by his lawyers, who were reportedly only able to see him two or three times in 28 days, according to Punch.
The family further claims that Adelowo's wife was threatened with arrest when she tried to visit him. Samson Adelowo also says the chairman of the neighbourhood landlords' association, who came with lawyers to request his release, was detained and then paid 50,000 naira to be released, Punch reports.
