Family Alleges Police Tortured Their Ward to Death in Ondo, Seeks Justice

The family of 23-year-old Dada Yusuf has accused the Ondo State Police Command of causing his death through torture while in detention, reigniting public concern over recurring cases of police brutality across the country.

Yusuf, who was arrested by operatives of the Scorpion Squad in Akure on August 31, reportedly collapsed after being beaten in custody.

According to a relative, Afolabi Bisoye, the young man never recovered from the injuries sustained during the ordeal.

“Yusuf Israel Dada was harassed and unlawfully arrested by the Scorpion Squad, a team of police officers led by Inspector Olayiya Kasim, stationed at the Federal University of Technology, while on his way to Akure. Yusuf was brutally beaten in custody to the point of falling into a coma,” Bisoye said.

He further alleged that officers attempted to conceal the incident, moving Yusuf first to the police clinic and later to the Federal Medical Centre, Owo, where he eventually died on September 7.

The family insists that Yusuf’s case is another example of excessive force by the police, echoing recent incidents where citizens have lost their lives in detention.

Witnesses also claimed that the officers involved were intoxicated and assaulted bystanders who tried to intervene.

The Ondo State Police Command, however, denied the claims. Public Relations Officer Olushola Alayande maintained that Yusuf died while receiving dialysis treatment, not from torture.

“The Ondo State Police Command categorically rejected the claims by the family. Their son died at the Federal Medical Centre while undergoing dialysis, and dialysis has nothing to do with torture or anything else,”

Alayande said, adding that an internal investigation had been opened into the matter.

Despite police assurances, Yusuf’s death adds to a growing list of alleged brutality cases that have sparked nationwide outrage, including the killing of Abdulmujid Oduga earlier this year in Lagos.

Human rights advocates say the recurring pattern highlights the urgent need for accountability and reform within the police force to restore public trust and prevent further tragedies.