The death of a Lagos-based barber, Babajide Adelowo, a day after his release from 28 days in police custody, has triggered allegations of torture, extortion and denial of adequate medical attention, with his family demanding an independent investigation into the circumstances surrounding his death.
Adelowo was reportedly arrested by operatives of the Lagos State Police Command’s X-Squad at his barbing shop in Iba Estate, Iyana-Iba, on October 6, over suspected possession of firearms. He was released on November 3 but died after his condition deteriorated following his return to the family.
His relatives alleged that he was subjected to severe physical abuse throughout his detention, leaving him critically ill, unable to walk properly and dependent on others for basic activities.
A medical report dated November 5, 2026, from the hospital where he received emergency treatment provides details of the final medical crisis that preceded his death.
The report, addressed to the Head of Pathology at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, stated that Adelowo was brought to the facility on November 3 with bleeding, vomiting of blood, abdominal pain, severe body weakness and anaemia.
Doctors described him as acutely ill, lethargic, pale and dehydrated. Their assessment identified symptomatic anaemia resulting from upper and lower gastrointestinal bleeding, complicated by haemorrhagic shock.
He was admitted, blood samples were collected and treatment commenced. Although he received one pint of blood without complications, his condition reportedly worsened while preparations were being made to administer another pint.
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According to the report, he began convulsing and vomiting. His oxygen level subsequently dropped, prompting medical personnel to administer supplemental oxygen and arrange his transfer to a tertiary healthcare facility.
About an hour later, he began gasping for breath. Doctors commenced cardiopulmonary resuscitation, but their efforts failed, and he was pronounced dead.
The medical findings have become central to the family’s demand for an independent examination of whether injuries allegedly sustained in police custody or delays in obtaining appropriate medical care contributed to his death.
Family recounts alleged torture in custody
Recounting the circumstances of his arrest, Adelowo’s uncle, Samson Adelowo, said police officers searched virtually every part of the barber’s shop but found no firearms.
According to him, the operatives broke through the ceiling and opened the water tank during the search but recovered no weapon.
He questioned why the officers allegedly removed personal belongings, including a generator and chairs, from the premises despite failing to find the suspected firearms.
The family also alleged that the barber was denied access to his phone and prevented from maintaining regular contact with relatives. Lawyers were reportedly engaged to secure his release, but Samson said the family was allowed to see him only two or three times during the entire detention period.
He further alleged that officers threatened Adelowo’s wife, Mariam, with arrest when she attempted to visit her husband.
The uncle also accused the police team of extorting N50,000 from the estate chairman, who accompanied the family’s lawyers to intervene. He claimed the chairman was threatened with detention before paying the money to secure his freedom.
The family alleged that the estate chairman had tried to explain that Adelowo was a peaceful resident who also served as one of the community’s security officers, but the intervention did not change the officers’ attitude.
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The most disturbing account, however, emerged after the barber was released.
Mariam said she was shocked when police officers brought her husband to PWD bus stop and transferred him into the family’s vehicle. He was reportedly extremely weak, pale and barely able to walk, forcing the officers to support him.
She said the officers instructed the family to take him directly to a hospital and provided a referral note from the Federal Medical Centre, Ebute Meta, alongside medical supplies, including drips and plaster.
According to the widow, her husband rejected suggestions that his condition was caused by an existing illness, insisting that he had not experienced such symptoms before his arrest.
During their journey to the hospital, Adelowo allegedly began recounting what he claimed had happened inside the detention facility.
Mariam said her husband told her that officers repeatedly tied his hands and legs to a weightlifting rod before suspending him in the air for between 30 and 40 minutes. He allegedly said the punishment was inflicted three times.
He also reportedly described how an instrument was used to squeeze his hands, leaving his muscles and veins severely affected.
The alleged abuse became so severe that he could no longer feed himself or attend to his personal hygiene. Other detainees reportedly assisted him with eating and bathing.
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Mariam further said her husband told her that he had fainted four times while in custody. During the last incident, fellow detainees reportedly raised an alarm over his condition. When he regained consciousness, he allegedly discovered that his body and clothes were covered in blood and faeces.
The widow said police officers eventually took him to hospital on the Sunday preceding his release, two days before he was handed over to the family.
Adelowo reportedly managed to contact her from the hospital but abruptly ended the call, after which she could no longer reach him.
When he was eventually released, Mariam noticed that he was wearing different clothes. He allegedly explained that his original clothes had become soaked in blood and that the police had provided replacements.
The family subsequently sought further medical attention, where he received a blood transfusion. His condition nevertheless deteriorated, with the widow saying he began vomiting blood and struggling to breathe.
Samson said doctors informed the family that Adelowo needed six pints of blood, but they could secure only one before his condition became critical.
Alleged firearm accusation, extortion claims
The family also questioned the basis of the arrest, with Mariam recounting her husband’s claim that a fellow detainee had identified him to the police as someone who kept firearms.
According to her, the detainee later apologised to Adelowo, claiming that he had been instructed to identify him.
The family is also demanding an explanation over an alleged N10m demand and the reported collection of N50,000 from the estate chairman.
These allegations, alongside claims that personal property was taken from the barbing shop, form part of the issues the family wants investigators to examine.
Adelowo, who was the father of one child, was described by his wife as a devoted husband who carried virtually all the family’s financial responsibilities.
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Mariam said his prolonged detention forced her to take up responsibilities she had never previously handled, while their young son repeatedly asked when his father would return.
She said she continued reassuring the child that his father would come home, only for him to eventually see his father’s body after his death.
Rights group demands independent investigation
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 order an independent investigation into the arrest, detention, alleged torture and death of Adelowo.
The group specifically demanded an investigation into officers attached to the CP-X Squad over allegations of unlawful detention, extortion, physical abuse and denial of adequate medical attention.
It also called for an independent autopsy involving the deceased’s family to establish the actual cause of death and determine whether physical injuries or delayed medical intervention contributed to the tragedy.
The movement wants investigators to examine the alleged N10m demand and the reported collection of N50,000 from the estate chairman, as well as recover the generator, chairs and other belongings allegedly taken from the barber’s shop.
It further demanded protection for the widow, relatives and other potential witnesses against intimidation, and appropriate compensation if police liability is established.
The group maintained that an accusation of criminal involvement cannot justify torture or degrading treatment, stressing that every suspect is entitled to lawful investigation and prosecution.
It said Adelowo’s death had left behind a grieving wife, a young child and ageing parents who deserved answers about what happened during his detention.
Police deny torture allegation
However, the Lagos State Police Command has disputed the family’s account.
When contacted on Sunday, the command’s spokesperson, Abimbola Adebisi, denied that Adelowo was tortured in police custody.
She said the command would issue an official statement on the matter the following day.
The police response is expected to be crucial in addressing the family’s allegations and clarifying the circumstances of Adelowo’s arrest, detention, hospitalisation and release.
For now, the central questions remain unanswered: what happened to the barber during his 28 days in custody, why was he released in such a reportedly critical condition, and could his death have been prevented?