Man Arrested Over N220,000 Debt Dies in Police Custody, Kwara State

There is growing concern in Erubu/Asunnara, Ilorin, Kwara State, following the reported death of 35-year-old Jimoh Abdulquadri from the Balogun Fulani community. Abdulquadri died in police custody at the Kwara State Police Command headquarters on December 20, 2024, after being arrested on December 19 for allegedly owing N220,000 to a man identified as Peter.

Family members, including his mother Mrs. Adijat Moriyike and elder brother Ismail, have accused the police of torturing Abdulquadri, leading to his death. They claim that the police beat him severely, with his head reportedly being struck with a hard object and his nose bleeding before he died.

In a statement, Abdulquadri’s elder brother said that efforts were being made to settle the debt before his arrest. “My brother was arrested at 5:30 pm with his phone and N350,000, and by 7:30 pm the following day, he was dead,” he explained. “When we were called around midnight to bail him, the police claimed they didn’t know what had happened and that he had been taken to a hospital. When we arrived at the police headquarters early in the morning, we were told to go to the General Hospital in Surulere. There, we found his body in the mortuary, bruised and swollen, with blood all over him. They claimed he hanged himself with his clothes, but my brother was tall and could not have hung himself in a police cell.”

The family also alleged that the person Abdulquadri owed money to is the elder sibling of a police officer, who allegedly instructed the officer’s brother to torture him.

The family has raised concerns that the police may be attempting to cover up the incident and has called for an independent investigation.

In response, the Kwara State Police Command, through spokesperson Toun Ejire-Adeyemi, confirmed the death and expressed sympathy for the family. “The Kwara State Police Command is aware of the unfortunate incident that led to the tragic loss of Mr. Jimoh Abdulquadri on December 20, 2024. He was invited in connection with an alleged case of obtaining money under false pretenses for the sum of N220,000. Discreet investigations are ongoing to determine the cause of death, and further updates will be provided as the investigation progresses,” Ejire-Adeyemi stated.