The family of late Paul Obukohwo from Agbarho community, Ughelli North local government area of Delta state, has petitioned the Police Service Commission, Inspector General of Police, Assistant Inspector General of Police and the Delta State Governor Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori over the alleged unlawful torture of their son to death in police custody.
Late Paul Obukohwo, age 24, a singer, had gone to the Rapid Response Squad (RRS), office in Asaba to bail his younger brother’s friend, Mr. Prosper Odili, who was arrested by the team led by Officer Shepherd for putting on a camouflage short while on routine patrol.
The death of late Paul Obukohwo has brought serious fear and tension in the minds of Asaba residents if Rapid Response Squad, RRS, is not turning or becoming wild like SARS, with the death of late Obukohwo alleged to have been tortured to death in an attempt to bail his younger brother’s friend, Mr. Prosper Odili.
In a petition by Oghenekohwo E. Odioko’s Chambers to the Commissioner of Police, Delta State, alleged that Officer Shephard and his team of Rapid Response Squad, attached to the Delta State Police Command, Asaba, alleged over unlawful detention and killing of late Paul Obukohwo, for no other sin but for daring to ask the RRS team why Mr. Proser Odili was arrested.
According to the petition, one Ejiro Obukohwo, younger brother to late Paul Obukohwo was going to work on 26th of March, 2025 in company of his friend, Prosper Odili, when the RRS unit in their patrol van, stopped and ordered Prosper Odili to enter their vehicle because he was on camouflage short.
The petition had also said that the other officers led by Officer Shepherd, having arrested Prosper Odili, took him to his house for search without search warrant. It was at that point that late Paul Obukohwo asked the RRS team the offence Odili committed. They declined comment but rather vowed to deal with late Obukohwo for daring to ask them question.
According to the petition, it was when the RRS team was taking Mr. Prosper Odili on handcuffed since they couldn’t find anything incriminating in his house to their station that they said they are waiting for late Paul Obukohwo to tell them (RRS team) who gave him the effrontery to question them why Mr. Prosper Odili was arrested.
Meanwhile, Mr. Prosper Odili and Ejiro Obukohwo who were eyewitness to the incident condemned the reactions from the Delta State Police Publice Relation Officer, PPRO, DSP Bright Edafe that late Paul Obukohwo as reported in the national dailies that the deceased died of low blood sugar was on acceptable and untrue story.
The eyewitness said the Delta State Police Publice Relation Officer, DSP Bright Edafe, which out of the five hospitals late Paul Obukohwo was taken to came out with report that the deceased had low blood sugar and why did Officer Shepherd took responsibility of all payments if they were not the ones that inflicted the injuries on him that led his death.
Speaking further on the issue, the eyewitnesses said, “Prosper Odili was arrested on Wednesday March 26, 2025. Same Wednesday evening, late Paul Obukohwo came to bail me but was later detained and tortured and the torture continued the following day Thursday when they brought him from the cell and was beaten to coma as l over heard him screaming and calling for help.
“The PPRO DSP Edafe should ask the RRS team led by Officer Shepherd why they were at that 2am of Saturday 29th of March, 2025 moving late Paul Obukohwo from one hospital to another to save his life if they had not meted injuries on his hands, legs, his entire body badly swollen and parts of his body already oozing black blood before he finally died.
“Why did Officer Shepherd’s led RRS team, who had earlier demanded for One million for their bail, later One hundred thousand, later refused to ask of bail money for both when he realized that late Paul Obukohwo may not survive the injury meted on him and until his death, was there any statement written by late Paul Obukohwo during his arrest and detention.
“Hence upon this petition, we appeal to the Chairman, Police Service Commission, Inspector General of Police, Assistant Inspector General of Police and the Delta State Governor Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori to wade into the issue as we demand for a thorough investigation of the circumstances leading to the unlawful arrest and inhuman torture resulting to the death of Mr. Paul Obukohwo whose life had been criminally cut short in his prime at the age of 24 for no justifiable reason whatsoever.”
