A rising musician, Paul Obukohwo, has reportedly died while in the custody of the Delta State Police Command after sustaining severe injuries allegedly inflicted by officers from the Rapid Response Squad (RRS) in Asaba.
The 24-year-old, who had gone to secure the release of his friend, Prosper Odili, from detention, was pronounced dead on Saturday morning at the Federal Medical Centre (FMC) in Asaba, where police had rushed him for treatment.
Reports indicate that Obukohwo’s body remained at the FMC at the time of this report, while the officers who brought him to the hospital allegedly fled after learning of his death.
Sources reveal that the incident began with the arrest of his 19-year-old friend, Prosper Odili, by RRS officers around 8:00 am on Wednesday along Redeemed Road, Okpanam, in Oshimili North Local Government Area.
According to reports, the officers took Odili to his home, conducted a search, but found nothing illegal. Nevertheless, he was returned to the police headquarters in Asaba and placed under detention.
In an attempt to bail his friend at around 5:00 pm that same day, Obukohwo approached the RRS office but was reportedly arrested, handcuffed, and brutally beaten. This assault allegedly left him in critical condition before he was confined to a cell, where he later collapsed.
At first, he was taken to the police clinic but was subsequently referred to a specialist hospital in Asaba as his condition deteriorated. Unable to handle the situation, the specialist hospital further sent him to FMC, where he ultimately passed away.
In response to the incident, Delta State Police Public Relations Officer, SP Bright Edafe, stated in a WhatsApp message that the deceased “fell ill and was taken to the hospital, diagnosed with low blood sugar, referred to Asaba Specialist Hospital, and later to FMC before he died.”
