The Ogun State Police Command has confirmed the arrest of two officers of the Ogun State Community, Social Orientation and Safety Corps, popularly known as So-Safe Corps, over the death of a man identified simply as Success, who reportedly died from injuries sustained after the officers allegedly tortured him.
The command’s public relations officer, Babaseyi Oluseyi, confirmed the development in a terse response to an enquiry by our correspondent on Tuesday.
Oluseyi disclosed that the officers had been taken into custody following the incident.
“I can confirm that we have the officers involved in custody,” he said.
PUNCH Metro had reported that the incident occurred following an altercation between Success and his mother on Saturday in the Oju-Ore area of Ogun State.
It was reported that Success’s mother informed some So-Safe officers about the matter, who subsequently took him into custody.
However, instead of handing him over to the police, the officers allegedly took him to an uncompleted building where he was severely assaulted.
The victim was said to have later died from injuries sustained during the alleged torture.
A source familiar with the incident alleged that the officers subjected Success to prolonged beating after taking him away from his family residence.
Meanwhile, the leadership of the So-Safe Corps said it was working closely with the police to ensure justice was served.
The spokesperson for the corps, Moruf Adekunle, condemned the actions of the officers, describing them as a violation of the organisation’s operational procedures.
According to him, the officers acted outside the mandate and standard operating procedures of the security outfit.
“The mother called us to intervene, and some of our ad hoc personnel responded. They were expected to report the matter to the appropriate authorities, but unfortunately, they took the law into their own hands.
“Immediately the incident came to our attention, we handed over the first suspect to the Nigerian Police Force and subsequently handed over the second officer for investigation and prosecution.
“The commandant does not condone any form of human rights abuse. We are working in synergy with the police to ensure justice is done,” Adekunle said.
He added that the state commander of the corps, Soji Ganzallo, had consistently warned personnel against human rights violations, unlawful detention and interference in matters beyond their jurisdiction.
The incident has again raised concerns over alleged torture and extrajudicial actions by some security operatives across the country.
In recent years, rights groups and civil society organisations have repeatedly called for greater accountability and stricter sanctions against security personnel found culpable of torture, unlawful detention and other forms of human rights abuses.
The police explained that investigations into the circumstances surrounding Success’s death were ongoing.
Read the full article here
