92-Year-Old Father Points Fingers at Police After Son’s Death in Custody
Returning home after years away, Festus Arhagba, aged 92, never expected his welcome back to be marked by heartbreak. The elderly man blames the Nigeria Police Force for the tragic loss of his 50-year-old son, Kingsley Arhagba, who died while held at the Ajeromi Police Division in Lagos.
Festus candidly shared his anguish from his residence in Lagos, expressing regret over his decision to relocate back to Nigeria after working abroad for many years. “I was called back to work here from overseas. Now, I wish I hadn’t come,” he confided with a heavy heart.
The family’s ordeal started on June 26 when police from the Inspector General of Police Intelligence Response Team arrested Festus’s younger son, Kenneth, over a dispute involving property. For several days, the family had no information about Kenneth’s whereabouts, until they were told to deliver food to the Ajeromi station.
Kingsley, the elder son who cared for their father, volunteered to bring the meal but was allegedly detained the moment he arrived at the station. Police reportedly demanded the release of a civil servant at level 12 grade to secure Kenneth’s bail, a request the family couldn’t meet. Instead, they offered land documents as backup.
Tragedy struck during this tense episode. A church deacon accompanying the family found Kingsley unconscious inside the police station. He was rushed to the hospital, but sadly passed away upon arrival. What’s more distressing, police officers supposed to escort him vanished, claiming they had stepped away to pump air into their vehicle’s tyres.
“My child, my caregiver, has been taken from me. They have broken my heart,” Festus wept, overwhelmed by grief.
Adding to the family’s trauma, Kenneth was reportedly transferred to Abuja and accused of kidnapping. During his detainment, he was allegedly kept incommunicado for four days without food or contact with anyone.
The Arhagba family has petitioned the Inspector General of Police, demanding a thorough investigation into these events. Meanwhile, official police sources deny any misconduct, insisting Kingsley collapsed in front of relatives, not while in custody.