A young Nigerian singer, Paul Obukowho, has passed away while in police custody in Delta State.
The 24-year-old was allegedly tortured to death by officers from the Rapid Response Squad (RRS) at the Delta State Police Command in Asaba.
The incident unfolded when Paul’s friend, Prosper Odili, was arrested without cause on Wednesday morning around 8:00 a.m. by RRS operatives along Redeemed Road in Oshimili North Local Government Area.
Prosper and another friend were stopped by the police, searched at their homes, and despite no evidence of any crime, Prosper was taken into custody.
Later that afternoon, Paul went to the police station to inquire about his friend’s arrest and to seek his release.
However, upon arrival, he was detained, handcuffed, and placed in the same cell as his friend. It was reported that Paul was severely tortured while in custody.
By Thursday night, the wounds from the torture caused Paul to collapse. He was rushed to the police clinic, but due to the severity of his injuries, he was transferred to Specialist Hospital Asaba.
Despite efforts to save him, Paul was later moved to the Federal Medical Center, where he passed away early Saturday morning around 4:00 a.m.
Upon Paul’s death, the police officers who had escorted him to the hospital reportedly fled the scene.
At the time of the report, Paul’s body remained at the hospital as his family and friends demanded justice.
The Delta State Police Public Relations Officer, SP Bright Edafe, has not yet responded to requests for comment.
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