Controversy trails death of 24-yr-old man shortly after release from police custody

By Emem Idio

Yenagoa —Controversies, confusion and outrage have continued to trail the death of a 24-year-old man identified as Patrick Peresousdei, who allegedly died six days after his release from a detention facility operated by the Bayelsa State Police Command.

While the police have denied torturing the deceased in their facility, claiming that he was brought to their facility with bruises reportedly seen on the bodies of the suspects, the younger brother of Patrick Peresousdei, who was arrested alongside his deceased brother has accused security operatives of torturing Patrick while in custody, allegations the police have denied.

Patrick’s brother, Destiny, alleged that they were assaulted and abused by one Bodmas Kemepadei, alongside personnel of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, before they were handed over to the police, and that his late brother was critically ill following alleged torture by some police officers.

Destiny in a 20-minute video obtained during a fact-finding visit to the deceased family by the state Commissioner for Youth Development, Alfred Nimizigha, disputed police claims that Patrick was already injured before his arrest.

He said: “My name is Destiny and it was on January 15, 2026, about 5:45a.m., when someone knocked at our gate. We later realised it was Bodmas’ vehicle. My brother went downstairs to open the gate, and immediately Bodmas started slapping him.”

Destiny alleged that four NSCDC officers later joined in the assault and that both brothers were forced into a vehicle and driven, not to a police station, but first to Kemepadei’s residence.

“At Bodmas’ house, some boys came out, lifted us, threw us on the floor, tied our hands and legs, and beat us for close to three hours. They used planks and machetes. We were bleeding before they finally took us to Operation Puff Alder.”

According to Destiny, they were detained without a formal statement or petition and held for several days. He said Patrick appeared healthy when he was briefly separated from him on January 20, but returned later in critical condition.

“They just threw my brother to me. He couldn’t talk, he couldn’t raise his arms or neck. That was when my uncle rushed him to the hospital,” he said.

Patrick was taken to several public hospitals in Bayelsa State and later referred to tertiary facilities in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, but Destiny said the family struggled to raise funds for treatment. Patrick died on January 28, after developing breathing difficulties.

“The police never took my brother to a clinic. Everything we did was on our own.”

The Bayelsa State Police Command has not publicly responded in detail to the allegations.

In the video referenced, however, police officials maintained that Patrick had pre-existing injuries before being handed over to them, a claim Destiny described as “false.”

Civil society groups have called for an independent investigation into the circumstances surrounding Patrick’s arrest, detention and death.

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