For 92-year-old Festus Arhagba, grief has become a constant companion following the death of his 50-year-old son, Kingsley, who reportedly died in police custody at the Ajeromi Police Division in Lagos. According to the elderly father, the circumstances surrounding his son’s death involved “deception, cruelty, and extortion.”

Seated in his modest Lagos home and leaning heavily on a walking aid, the paralyzed nonagenarian shared his story with Saturday Vanguard, recounting the family's ordeal that began on June 26, 2025, when officers later identified as members of the IGP Intelligence Response Team (IRT) from Abuja arrested his younger son, Kenneth.

With a trembling voice, Arhagba said:

“I regret ever coming back to this country. I was brought in from abroad for work, but since my return, I’ve never experienced anything like this. Kingsley, my 50-year-old son, was the one caring for me. Now, I don’t know what to do.”

According to him, Kingsley had just dropped his children at school when five officers allegedly handcuffed him in front of his kids and took him away. For four days, the family had no idea where Kenneth had been taken. Relief came in the form of a call from a man identifying himself as ASP Danjuma, who asked the family to bring food for Kenneth at the Ajeromi Police Station.

But that relief quickly turned into anguish. Arhagba recounted how Kingsley, who had gone to deliver the food, ended up detained himself. Later, a family member was reportedly told to bring someone on 'level 12' to secure Kenneth's bail.

“I told them I didn’t know anyone at that level, but I offered to use my house documents instead. They agreed, and I handed the documents to a church Deacon who took them to the station. But by the time he arrived, my elder son had already collapsed. At the hospital, doctors confirmed he was dead before arrival. The officers, meanwhile, claimed they had left to inflate their tyre and vanished.”

Dispute Over Property

The root of the issue appears to lie in a long-standing property dispute over a storey building on Salami Street, Tolu Road, in the Ajeromi Ifelodun area. Kenneth said he had once helped an ex-girlfriend, Mary James, facilitate the purchase of the building using the name of his late elder brother on the sale contract. However, the title documents were never produced.

The case was reported to the Force Criminal Investigation Department (FCID) at Alagbon. The seller, identified as Prince, allegedly claimed the papers were with the EFCC and promised to refund the money to Mary. Kenneth explained that despite the police's involvement, Mary bypassed them and reached a private settlement with Prince, even sharing a video showing the signing of a new deed.

EFCC Forfeiture

Investigations revealed that four months ago, the Federal High Court in Lagos ordered the final forfeiture of the disputed building to the Federal Government. The EFCC linked the property to N89 million fraudulently withdrawn from Sterling Bank due to a system error. When Saturday Vanguard visited the location, an “EFCC, Keep Off” sign was visibly displayed.

Despite the forfeiture, some individuals reportedly continued to pose as the property’s owners. They allegedly forged documents—including an Oluwa family receipt and Deed of Assignment—and used them to obtain N69 million from a complainant, Anthony Nlebedim, and his son, Ikechukwu Sylvester Nlebedim, even though the property was already under dispute.

Alleged Mistreatment in Detention

Kenneth said he was shocked to learn that the charges against him included kidnapping, conspiracy, and threats to life.

“After my arrest, I was taken to the Marine Police Station and held for two nights before being transferred to Abuja on June 29. I wasn’t allowed to eat or contact anyone for four days. One officer told me they were under orders not to let me speak to anyone. He even said that even if I died, nothing would happen.”

He claimed he was only released following Kingsley’s sudden death.

Demand for Accountability

The Arhagba family has since petitioned the Inspector General of Police, seeking justice and accountability for Kingsley’s death.

“The police have killed my child,” Festus cried, collapsing into his seat, while his wife paced silently, wiping away tears.

Meanwhile, police sources claim that Kingsley collapsed in the presence of family members and was not subjected to any abuse. However, to the Arhagba family, that explanation is inadequate and fails to address what they see as an unnecessary and preventable death—a painful reminder of a system where justice can be elusive and accountability scarce.