18 groups allege cover-up in Abdulqadri Olatunji Jimoh’s death, demand independent investigation

Stanley Ihedigbo

National Human Rights Commission has been petitioned to investigate the alleged death of Abdulqadri Olatunji Jimoh, a 35-year-old man, in police custody.

The petition, signed by 18 human rights organizations, alleges that Jimoh died due to police brutality inflicted by officers of the Kwara State Police Command.

The family of the deceased has accused the police of failing to provide a legitimate autopsy report and obstructing justice.

Reports indicate that the Kwara State Police Command issued a “fake autopsy result” to the media while denying the family access to the official autopsy document.

The case raises serious concerns about the integrity of the police investigation and the need for an independent and impartial inquiry.

The petitioners are demanding a thorough investigation into the claims made by Jimoh’s family, verification and publication of the authentic autopsy report, and holding accountable any police officers found to be complicit in these acts of violence and obstruction of justice.

The groups are also calling for reforms within the police force to prevent the recurrence of such human rights violations in the future.

They believe that only an independent investigation will unveil the truth and restore faith in the justice system.

The case is not an isolated incident, as there have been previous allegations of police brutality and human rights abuses in Nigeria.

The petitioners are hoping that the National Human Rights Commission will take immediate action to address these allegations and ensure that justice is served.

They petitioners are, Rule of Law and Accountability Advocacy Centre (RULAAC), Lagos; Rights Enforcement and Public Law CentreI; Centre for citizens Rights; Centre for Family Rescue, Law and Development ; Comrade Nelson Nnanna, Foundation for Environmental Rights Advocacy and Development FENRAD Nigeria Abia State and Grassroots Development Monitoring and Advocacy Centre (GDMAC), Ilorin .

Also, Peggy Chukwuemeka, Parent-Child Intervention Centre (PCIC) Enugu State; Criminal Justice Network of Nigeria; Legal Resources Consortium Lagos;
Justice for Peace and Development Initiative Lagos; Z.O. Senbanjo, Esq. Executive Director, Confluence of Rights, Nigeria; Building Bridges for Justice and Development Foundation, Abuja; Vision Spring Initiatives and Sam Akpologun, Open Society on Justice Reform Project
15. Research, Innovation, and Advocacy in Development (IRIAD), as well as Solidarity for the paradigm shift initiative; Human Rights Social Development and Environmental Foundation (HURSDEF) Rivers State and Media Initiative against Injustice, Violence and Corruption (MIIVOC).