‘He died of asphyxiation’ — police react to death of suspect in custody

The Nigeria Police Force (NPF) has reacted to a viral video wherein a woman accused police officers of allegedly killing her son, identified as Erasmus, in their custody.

In the video, the mother of the deceased was crying while narrating how she discovered that his son had allegedly been beaten to death in the custody of the federal capital territory (FCT) police command.

The mother said she was told her son was sleeping in custody the last time she went with food for him.

She added that an inmate broke the news that her son had been beaten to death the previous night.

The mother lamented how the police officers maltreated her for asking questions about what happened to her son.

The woman was interviewed during an episode of the Brekete Family, a reality television and radio programme on Human Rights Radio that focuses on human rights issues.

However, reacting to the video, Muyiwa Adejobi, the force spokesperson, claimed that the deceased was a cultist, who was arrested for allegedly raping and killing a young lady in the company of his friend.

Adejobi said the matter was an “old one,” which happened over a year ago.

The force spokesperson said police did not kill the deceased, adding that autopsy results show that the suspect died of “asphyxiation”.

“My attention has been drawn to this video. The matter is an old one, and it has been decided. The FCT command handled the case,” the statement reads.

“The autopsy report cleared the air on this. The boy, who was a cultist and arrested for the alleged raping and killing of a young lady in the company of his friend, was never tortured by the police.

“The force headquarters was involved in the investigation then. Erasmus was a cultist who had been fingered in many crises and the alleged killings of some innocent Nigerians in the area.

“He died of asphyxiation, according to the autopsy. Not torture.

“The autopsy was done in the presence of the doctor(s) of the deceased family. It is unfortunate he died because the police even needed him to unravel some issues and pending cases in the area.”

According to WebMD, asphyxiation happens when the body does not get enough oxygen to keep someone from passing out. It can be a life-threatening situation.