Farmer Accuses Police Of Brutality As Staff Dies In Custody

The Skapomah Global Limited (SGL) Farms  has accused the Ogun State Police of brutality which led to the death of one of its staff, Shola Adeleke, who died in police custody.

The Managing Director of the farm, Mr Adegoke Oluwaseun, said this while addressing journalists at the Crime Reporters Association of Nigeria’s (CRAN) office, Oduduwa, Ikeja in Lagos State.

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Oluwaseun said that, Adeleke , who was one of the security men that worked in the farm died on Friday, May 28, while in custody of the State Homicide Department, Eleweran, Abeokuta, Ogun.

He said that Adeleke and four others- Olaitan Oluwaseun, Jimoh Ibrahim, Wasiu Adeshina and Hakeem Elegbede were initially detained at Ayetoro Police Station, Yewa North before the case was transferred to Eleweran.

“On Saturday, I received a call from the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) Ayetoro that a corpse had been found in the area were we have our farm in Ipaya village, Yewa North.

“The DPO said that the corpse was not found on our farm, however, he will need to question some of my staffs to help enhance police investigation.

“I told my staff to report to the station and support investigation in anyway but little did I know that this will be the worst decision I will ever make,” Oluwaseun said.

The director said that on arrival at Ayetoro Police Station, his staff; mainly the security team of the farm were detained and guided by the Inspection Police Officer (IPO) on what to write in their statement.

According to him, when the Ayetoro Police Station sensed that they had no case against his security men, they decided to transfer the case to Eleweran for further investigation.

“It was then I received the news that Adeleke had died in police custody in circumstances the police could not explain,” Oluwaseun said.

He said that the police allegation that a corpse was found around his farm area was a plot to stop him from farming in other to promote cattle grazing.

The director said that the location of his farm was greeny and  attracted cattle grazing which he fingered as the underlying factor that started the whole charade.

“ We have demanded from the police to produce the so called corpse but till date, nothing has been produced.

“They claim that the dead has been buried. How do you bury evidence in a murder case and claim to be investigating?,” he said.

Oluwaseun said that he had lost crops worth over N50 million to cow destruction and grazing and believes that the whole set up is to blackmail and force him out of business.

“Ever since I established the 5,000 acres farm in the community, the cattle herders has always confronted us and at various times, promised to attack us for daring such a massive investment.

“They believe that the massive farm makes it impossible for their cows to graze,” he said.

Oluwaseun demanded that the police should give account of how Adeleke died and also produce the so called corpse planted around his farm to ascertain that it was not a conspiracy.

Meanwhile, the Police Public Relations Officer, Ogun Command, ASP Abimbola Oyeyemi said that Adeleke was actually directly identified by eye-witness in the murder case of the deceased.

Oyeyemi said that one of cattle herders was accosted by members of the security team and taken away on a motorcycle to be later found dead around the farm area.

“It is a case of murder and investigation is ongoing.

“Adeleke fell sick while in custody and was taken to the hospital but unfortunately died,” he said.

The spokesperson said that out of the five farm security personnel that was arrested, three were released because they were not on duty the day the murder was committed.

Oyeyemi said that the remaining person still in detention had confessed and named five other people who committed the crime with them.

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