The death of a Lagos barber, Babajide Adelowo, has sparked calls for accountability after his family alleged that he was tortured during 28 days in police custody over suspected firearm possession.
Adelowo reportedly died on November 4, barely 24 hours after he was released from detention, raising concerns over the circumstances surrounding his arrest, treatment and death.
The barber was allegedly arrested by operatives of the Lagos State Police Command’s X-Squad at his shop in Iba Estate, Iyana-Iba, on October 6. He was subsequently released on November 3.
His relatives claimed that he suffered severe physical abuse while in detention, alleging that officers repeatedly tied his hands and legs to a weightlifting rod and suspended him.
According to the family, the alleged treatment left him extremely weak and unable to perform basic tasks independently.
They also accused the police of taking belongings from his shop, denying him unrestricted access to his lawyers and preventing him from contacting relatives during his detention.
Uncle alleges unlawful arrest, extortion
The deceased’s uncle, Samson Adelowo, said the police accused his nephew of possessing firearms but allegedly failed to recover any during their search of the shop.
“They came to arrest my brother on the grounds that he owned firearms. They searched the shop, broke the ceiling and opened the water tank, but they could not find anything.
“What I found disturbing was that they also took his generator, chairs and other materials from the shop. What was the connection between the allegation against him and the items they removed from his shop?
“They seized his phone and did not allow him to contact anybody in his family. We had to engage lawyers to follow up on the matter, but throughout the 28 days he spent there, the lawyers were only allowed to see him about two or three times, with restricted access at other times.”
Samson further alleged that Adelowo’s wife was threatened with arrest when she attempted to visit him.
He claimed that the estate chairman, who accompanied the lawyers to meet the police team, was also detained and allegedly paid N50,000 to secure his release.
According to the uncle, the chairman had attempted to explain that Adelowo was a peaceful resident and a member of the estate’s security team.
However, he alleged that the officer threatened to detain the chairman, who eventually paid the money before he was released.
Wife recounts alleged torture in detention
Adelowo’s wife, Mariam, said her husband was in a critical condition when the police handed him over to the family at the PWD bus stop.
She explained that the officers brought him in a vehicle and assisted him into the family’s car before providing a referral note from the Federal Medical Centre, Ebute Meta, and a bag containing medical supplies.
“When we saw him, he could not even walk properly. He was so pale and fragile. The police officers were the ones guiding him into our car. They told us to handle him carefully and take him straight to the hospital.
“They handed over a referral note from the Federal Medical Centre, Ebute Meta, and a nylon bag containing drips, plaster and some other medical items. I still have the bag with me. When they handed him to us, they said the ailment was already in his body, but my husband sharply objected and said he had never had the symptoms,” she said.
Mariam said her husband narrated the alleged abuse he experienced while in detention during their journey to the hospital.
“He told me that they would tie his hands and legs to a weightlifting rod and hang him for about 30 or 40 minutes. He said they did that to him three times. He also told me that they squeezed his hands with an instrument until his muscles and veins were affected.
“He said he became so weak that he could not feed himself or even take care of his personal needs. The other suspects in the cell were the ones helping him to eat and bathe. He also told me that he fainted four times while in detention,” she said.
The widow alleged that her husband suffered another collapse while in custody, prompting fellow detainees to call for assistance.
She said he later regained consciousness covered in blood and faeces, with his clothes soaked in blood.
“He told me that the last time he fainted, he woke up and saw blood all over him. He had also passed stool on himself. The other people in the cell were shouting for help before he was taken to the hospital by the police on Sunday, which was two days before he was released to us. It was from the hospital that he called me and said he was in the hospital. He also ended the call immediately, and I could not reach him again.
“When I saw him after his release, I noticed that the clothes he was wearing were not his. He told me that his clothes had been soaked in blood and that the police had bought another set of clothes for him,” she added.
The family reportedly took him to the hospital after his release, where he received a blood transfusion.
However, his condition allegedly worsened, as he began vomiting blood and struggling to breathe.
Samson said the family was informed that Adelowo needed six pints of blood but could only obtain one before his condition became worse.
Mariam also claimed that her husband told her another detainee had implicated him in the alleged possession of firearms. She said the individual later apologised, claiming that he had been directed to identify the barber.
Medical report reveals final moments
A medical report dated November 5, 2026, stated that Adelowo was brought to the hospital on November 3 with complaints of bleeding, vomiting blood, abdominal pain, weakness and anaemia.
The report, addressed to the Head of Pathology at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, described him as critically ill, lethargic, pale and dehydrated.
Doctors reportedly assessed him as suffering from symptomatic anaemia caused by gastrointestinal bleeding, complicated by haemorrhagic shock.
The report stated that he was admitted and commenced treatment after medical personnel collected blood samples.
Adelowo reportedly received one pint of blood and was awaiting another when he began convulsing and vomiting.
Although the symptoms initially subsided, his oxygen level subsequently dropped, prompting doctors to administer supplemental oxygen and refer him to a tertiary healthcare facility.
The report said he began gasping about an hour later, leading medical personnel to commence cardiopulmonary resuscitation.
However, the efforts to revive him were unsuccessful, and he was eventually pronounced dead.
Rights group calls for police accountability
The Lagos State Coordinator of the Take It Back Movement, Adekunle Taofeek, has called on the Inspector-General of Police and the Lagos State Commissioner of Police to investigate the incident independently.
The organisation demanded that officers attached to the CP-X Squad who might have been involved in the alleged abuses be identified and prosecuted if found guilty.
It also called for an independent autopsy involving the family to establish the cause of death and determine whether the alleged torture or denial of medical attention contributed to the tragedy.
The group further demanded an investigation into the alleged N10m demand and the reported N50,000 payment by the estate chairman.
It also called for the return of belongings allegedly taken from the deceased’s barbing shop.
The movement urged the authorities to protect the bereaved family and witnesses from intimidation and ensure that justice is delivered.
It stressed that allegations of criminal activity should not be used to justify torture, extortion or inhumane treatment, insisting that suspects must be handled in accordance with the law.
The group added that Adelowo’s death had left behind a wife, young children and elderly parents who deserved answers.
Police reject allegations
The Lagos State Police Command spokesperson, Abimbola Adebisi, denied that Adelowo was tortured while in custody.
When contacted on Sunday, she said:
“An official statement will be issued on that tomorrow,” she added.
The command had yet to issue the promised statement at the time of publication.