Policemen torture Lagos motorcycle rider to death

A motorcycle rider, Ibrahim Kosoko, has been killed after he was allegedly tortured by some policemen attached to the Area D Police Command, Mushin, Lagos State.

PUNCH Metro learnt that 41-year-old Ibrahim was among nine suspects picked up by the operatives during a raid on a shopping complex at Rainbow bus-stop, Agege-Motor Road, Mushin.


The policemen were said to have arrested some persons in some shops and demanded from them the whereabouts of one Ilesanmi, who was alleged to be among the masterminds of the mayhem that was created sometime in April 2017, in the Idi-Oro area of the state.

The suspects, who denied knowing Ilesanmi’s whereabouts, were said to have been taken to the area command where they were detained.

Punch learnt that the Investigating Police Officer, one Eric, allegedly accused Ibrahim of being Ilesanmi and descended on the Lagos State indigene.

Eric was said to have been joined by other policemen, who allegedly told the victim to either confess to being Ilesanmi or give information on his whereabouts.

It was gathered that a policeman attached to the Inspector-General of Police Monitoring Team later intervened and got Ibrahim and another suspect released.

Ibrahim was said to have succumbed to his injuries and died on Saturday.

PUNCH Metro learnt that the families of the other seven suspects paid sums ranging from N7,000 to N12,000 before they were eventually freed.

The widow, Funmilayo Kosoko, 39, said Ibrahim gave up on Saturday after complaining of pains.

She said, “I was told that a policeman hit him on the head with a big stick during the torture. When he returned, he complained of pains. He died on Saturday. I want the government to arrest that IPO and give us justice.”

The state Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Olarinde Famous-Cole, denied the allegation of torture.

He said, “The Area Commander said there was no torture and that the suspects arrested were suspected to be part of the Idi-Oro mayhem. As a result, they were questioned and interviewed and it was discovered they had no specific place of abode. A senior officer came for the bail of three of them, including the man in question. He was not tortured or assaulted.”