A Nigerian woman has cried out, revealing that her son, Erasmus Emhenya, was falsely accused, arrested, and tortured to death by Nigerian police officers in Abuja.
“Despite overwhelming evidence of misconduct by the officers involved, justice continues to elude the grieving family,” she said on Brekete Family, a human rights advocacy TV and radio programme.
Her account describes how she received devastating news about her son's fate from a source within the police cell.
“A source from the cell informed me that my son Erasmus was killed last night,” she said.
The mother also described the anguish she felt while attempting to identify her son's body.
“When I went to the police station to see my son, the cops told their colleagues to ‘throw this bagger out,'” she tearfully recounted.
Reacting to the incident in a press statement on Thursday, July 4, SP Josephine Adeh, Police Public Relations Officer of the FCT Police Command, said that Erasmus, who passed away while in police custody on April 6, 2023, was not tortured to death, contrary to claims made in the viral video.
“We wish to clarify that the unfortunate death of Erasmus Emhenya was not due to torture, as alleged in certain quarters and on social media,” stated SP Josephine Adeh, addressing the issue. She emphasised that thorough investigations were conducted, including an autopsy that confirmed their findings.
“Discrete investigations were undertaken to ascertain both the immediate and remote causes of Mr. Emhenya's demise,” Adeh affirmed, highlighting that the autopsy results supported their conclusion that torture did not contribute to his death.
SP Adeh invited concerned parties and the public to the FCT Police Command headquarters to access detailed information about the autopsy and investigation process, underscoring the command's commitment to transparency.
“We want to assure the public of our unwavering dedication to upholding the rule of law and safeguarding the fundamental rights of all individuals,” Adeh reassured.
The statement aimed to address concerns and maintain transparency amidst ongoing scrutiny over the incident.
