92-year-old father accuses police for son’s demise in custody
Festus Arhagba, a 92-year-old Nigerian who recently returned from abroad, has accused the Nigeria Police Force of being responsible for the death of his 50-year-old son, Kingsley Arhagba, while in custody at the Ajeromi Police Division in Lagos.
Speaking from his Lagos residence, the grieving father said he relocated to Nigeria after many years overseas, only to face what he described as a devastating and unexpected tragedy.
“I was employed directly from abroad to return here. I regret coming back,” Arhagba said, his voice heavy with emotion.
The ordeal began on June 26 when officers from the Inspector General of Police (IGP) Intelligence Response Team reportedly arrested his younger son, Kenneth Arhagba, over a property dispute. The family said they were unaware of Kenneth’s whereabouts for days until they received word to bring food to the Ajeromi police station.
Kingsley, the elder son and primary caregiver of the 92-year-old, volunteered to deliver the food but was allegedly detained upon arrival.
According to the family, police officers demanded that a civil servant on grade level 12 be produced to secure Kenneth’s bail. When the family was unable to meet this demand, they offered house documents as collateral instead.
It was during this process that tragedy struck.
A church deacon who accompanied the family to the station reportedly found Kingsley unconscious in police custody. He was rushed to a hospital but was pronounced dead on arrival. Police officers who had transported him to the facility allegedly disappeared, claiming they had gone to pump air into their vehicle tyres.
“They have killed my child. Kingsley was the one taking care of me. I have nothing left,” the heartbroken father said tearfully.
The family further alleged that Kenneth was later transferred to Abuja and accused of kidnapping. He claims he was held incommunicado for four days, during which he was denied food and contact with anyone.
The family has since petitioned the Inspector General of Police, demanding a full investigation into the incident.
However, police sources have denied any wrongdoing, maintaining that Kingsley collapsed in front of family members, not in police custody.
