The family of late Paul Obukohwo, an upcoming artiste from Agbarho community in Ughelli North Local Government Area of Delta State, has petitioned the Inspector General of Police and the Police Service Commission alleging unlawful torture to death of their 24-year-old son in police custody in Asaba, the State capital.
The family similarly dispatched copies of the petition to the Assistant Inspector General of Police and the Delta State Governor, Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori, among others.
The petitioners demanded “a thorough investigation of the circumstances leading to the unlawful arrest and inhuman torture resulting to the death of Mr. Paul Obukohwo, whose life had been criminally cut short in his prime at the age of 24, for no justifiable reason whatsoever.”
The petition written on behalf of the family by Oghenekohwo E. Odioko law Chambers of Okumagba Avenue, Warri, copies of which were made available to journalists in the metropolis on Monday, held that “late Paul Obukohwo had gone to the Rapid Response Squad office in Asaba to bail his younger brother’s friend, Mr. Prosper Odili, who was arrested for putting on a camouflage short by the team led by Officer Shepherd while on routine patrol.”
The petitioners alleged that Officer Shepherd and his team of Rapid Response Squad, attached to the Delta State Police Command, Asaba, thereafter unlawfully detained and killed the late Paul Obukohwo “for no other sin but for daring to ask the RRS team why Mr. Proser Odili was arrested.”
They further alleged that the death of the late Paul Obukohwo who was purportedly tortured brutally in police custody has “brought serious fear and tension to the minds of Asaba residents who now see the RRS as virtually turning to or becoming wild like the hitherto SARS”.
The petition partly read, “One Ejiro Obukohwo, younger brother to late Paul Obukohwo was going to work on 26th of March, 2025 in company of his friend, Prosper Odili, when the RRS unit in their patrol van, stopped and ordered Prosper Odili to enter their vehicle because he was on camouflage short.
“In addition the other officers led by Officer Shepherd, having arrested Prosper Odili, took him to his house for search without a search warrant.
“It was at that point that late Paul Obukohwo asked the RRS team about the offence Odili committed. They declined to comment but rather vowed to deal with the late Obukohwo for daring to ask them questions.
“As the RRS team was taking Mr Prosper Odili in handcuffs to their station after they couldn’t find anything incriminating in his house, they said they were waiting for late Paul Obukohwo to tell them (RRS team) who gave him the effrontery to question them why Mr Prosper Odili was arrested.”
The petition further quoted the duo of Mr Prosper Odili and Ejiro Obukohwo who were said to be eyewitnesses of the incident as taking exception to a statement from the Delta State Police Public Relations Officer, Bright Edafe, that the late Paul Obukohwo died of low blood sugar.
The duo maintained in the petition that the narrative from the police spokesman was “untrue and unacceptable”, urging the police to show evidence of which among the five hospitals late Paul Obukohwo was reportedly taken to that came out with a report that the deceased had low blood sugar.
They also queried why “Officer Shepherd took it upon himself the responsibility of all payments if they were not the ones that inflicted the injuries on him that led to his death.”
“They claimed that Prosper Odili was arrested on Wednesday, March 26, 2025, and on the same Wednesday evening, late Paul Obukohwo came to bail Odili but was later detained and tortured and the torture continued the following day, Thursday when they brought him from the cell and was beaten to coma as he was overheard screaming and calling for help.”
“The PPRO, SP Edafe should have asked the RRS team led by Officer Shepherd why they were at 2 am on Saturday 29th of March, 2025 moving late Paul Obukohwo from one hospital to another to save his life if they had not meted injuries on his hands, legs, his entire body badly swollen and parts of his body already oozing black blood before he finally died,” the petition further read.