WE SEEK JUSTICE FOR THE DEATH OF MRS ADELUGBA IN THE HANDS OF POLICEMEN IN AKURE
A 50-year old female politician, Mrs. Ronke Adelugba, was on Sunday allegedly beaten to death in her house in Akure, the Ondo State capital, by policemen who had invaded the house in search of a felon.
The woman, popularly called Mrs Eze, who was until her death the Woman Leader of the Accord Party in Ward 5, Akure South Local Government Area, was allegedly hit with gun butt and beaten by two of the seven policemen who came to the house after an argument with her.
The seven policemen, who came in a white police hilux van with registration umber NPF 4236 B, had stormed the house located at No. 1, Akinyemi Street, off Ijoka Road, Akure, after searching a nearby bush for some boys believed to be smoking Indian hemp in the area.
Unable to see anybody in the bush, the policemen then came to Mrs. Adelugba’s house to see if the boys were hiding there. However, an argument ensued, with Mrs. Adelugba insisting that only her own children were in the three bedroom house.
Insisting that she would not let her children be arrested without any explanation or warrant, Mrs Adelugba was shoved, beaten and hit with gun butt and in the process slumped and died within two minutes.
uultiple eye witnesses told journalists that the policemen who came to the area were in the habit of raiding bars and ‘drinking joints’ in the area every weekend just to arrest young boys who would later be asked to be bailed with money ranging from N5,000 to N10, 000 without being charged for any offence.
According to them, sensing that a similar thing was to be done to her children, the woman had demanded for an explanation of the offence committed by her children, only to be beaten to her death by the policemen.
The policemen then allegedly fled the scene after the residents of the area gathered but the residents later carried the lifeless body of the woman to the Ala Police Station where the policemen came from. The policemen later took the body to the State Specialist Hospital where the remains were deposited in the morgue.
One of the children of the diseased, who simply identified himself as Henry, told journalists that his mother has no history of illness and has never been to any hospital for treatment as she was popularly called ‘Iron Lady’ because of her strength and spirit of hard work.
He said she only asked one question from the leader of the policemen before she was beaten by two of the policemen, one of who hit her on the head with stick and another hitting her at the back with gun butt. He said the policemen fled the house without making any arrest after his mother fell and died.
Henry said it was the policemen who took the lifeless body to the hospital at about 9pm on Sunday, adding that the family has resolved to seek justice for the wrongful death of his mother in the hands of law enforcement officers.
The Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Mr. Wale Ogodo, who confirmed the incident, however said the woman only started panting and died after policemen left the house, adding that she was not killed by the policemen as being claimed by the family.
A 50-year old female politician, Mrs. Ronke Adelugba, was on Sunday allegedly beaten to death in her house in Akure, the Ondo State capital, by policemen who had invaded the house in search of a felon.
The woman, popularly called Mrs Eze, who was until her death the Woman Leader of the Accord Party in Ward 5, Akure South Local Government Area, was allegedly hit with gun butt and beaten by two of the seven policemen who came to the house after an argument with her.
The seven policemen, who came in a white police hilux van with registration umber NPF 4236 B, had stormed the house located at No. 1, Akinyemi Street, off Ijoka Road, Akure, after searching a nearby bush for some boys believed to be smoking Indian hemp in the area.
Unable to see anybody in the bush, the policemen then came to Mrs. Adelugba’s house to see if the boys were hiding there. However, an argument ensued, with Mrs. Adelugba insisting that only her own children were in the three bedroom house.
Insisting that she would not let her children be arrested without any explanation or warrant, Mrs Adelugba was shoved, beaten and hit with gun butt and in the process slumped and died within two minutes.
uultiple eye witnesses told journalists that the policemen who came to the area were in the habit of raiding bars and ‘drinking joints’ in the area every weekend just to arrest young boys who would later be asked to be bailed with money ranging from N5,000 to N10, 000 without being charged for any offence.
According to them, sensing that a similar thing was to be done to her children, the woman had demanded for an explanation of the offence committed by her children, only to be beaten to her death by the policemen.
The policemen then allegedly fled the scene after the residents of the area gathered but the residents later carried the lifeless body of the woman to the Ala Police Station where the policemen came from. The policemen later took the body to the State Specialist Hospital where the remains were deposited in the morgue.
One of the children of the diseased, who simply identified himself as Henry, told journalists that his mother has no history of illness and has never been to any hospital for treatment as she was popularly called ‘Iron Lady’ because of her strength and spirit of hard work.
He said she only asked one question from the leader of the policemen before she was beaten by two of the policemen, one of who hit her on the head with stick and another hitting her at the back with gun butt. He said the policemen fled the house without making any arrest after his mother fell and died.
Henry said it was the policemen who took the lifeless body to the hospital at about 9pm on Sunday, adding that the family has resolved to seek justice for the wrongful death of his mother in the hands of law enforcement officers.
The Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Mr. Wale Ogodo, who confirmed the incident, however said the woman only started panting and died after policemen left the house, adding that she was not killed by the policemen as being claimed by the family.