My nephew died in police custody after three days without bail – Benue man

Vincent Shagbaor, the uncle of the late Fabian Shember, who died in police custody in Benue State, speaks to TEMITOPE ADETUNJI about the tragic incident

Who are you to the late Fabian Shember?

Fabian was my nephew.

Where are you from, and what do you do?

I am from Torkula village in Benue State. I am a civil servant and work with the Guma Local Government, Department of Agriculture, in Benue State.

Can you tell us about Fabian Shember?

As I mentioned earlier, Fabian was my nephew. He was an easy-going person who avoided fights and trouble. He was very trustworthy, a gentleman with integrity. Fabian worked at Enyo Filling Station before moving on to Emy Global Limited in Benue State.

What can you say about the allegation that he stole N1.7m from the filling station?

To the best of my knowledge, there was no such incident. According to what Fabian told me, the filling station had a shortage due to a leakage in one of the tanks. The fuel leaked from the tank, and water infiltrated it, causing contamination. It was not an actual shortage; the tank had emptied due to the leakage. However, Fabian was held responsible for the difference.

What was Fabian’s work history like? Did he ever mention having any other issues at his workplace besides this incident?

He had no issues.

When and how did you first hear about his arrest?

I received a phone call on 8th February 2025, from one of my brothers, who was arrested alongside Fabian.

What is his name?

His name is Sebastian Gwabo; he is the Chief of Staff to the ALGON chairman of Benue State.

What happened after you received the call?

I immediately contacted our lawyer, Mr Moses Chia, who went to seek bail for Fabian and Sebastian.

Was your nephew granted bail?

Initially, bail was denied, but later in the evening, Sebastian was granted bail, while Fabian remained in detention.

Why was Sebastian arrested alongside Fabian?

Sebastian was Fabian’s guarantor when he got the job at EMY Global Limited. When the issue arose, the overseer of EMY Global Limited, Sylvester Kanu, called for a meeting. This was the second meeting regarding the matter.

How did the arrest happen?

During the meeting, some naval officers arrived. The team was led by a two-star officer, along with four others. They stormed the meeting and arrested Fabian and Sebastian.

Where were they taken to?

After being taken around for a while, they were eventually taken to the Nigeria Police E Division in Makurdi, where they were handed over to the police.

How many days or weeks did Fabian spend in detention before his death?

Fabian was detained on the 8th and died on the 11th of February after the police refused to grant him bail.

Were you or any family member contacted by the police before or after his arrest?

No, nobody contacted us. We only found out through my brother, Sebastian. That was how we understood that he had been detained.

What was Fabian’s health condition before his arrest?

Before his arrest, Fabian was in very good health. He was perfectly fine, the Divisional Police Officer of E-Division, CSP Omale, can attest to that.

According to the stories online, it was said that Fabian suddenly became sick. Do you believe this?

I do not believe that at all because Fabian was healthy. According to CSP Omale, Fabian was in good health. Suddenly, at midnight, they claimed Fabian took ill. One would expect that if Fabian was truly ill, the DPO would have called his family and informed them, perhaps to say, ‘Your nephew, brother, or brother-in-law is ill. Please come to the station so we can arrange for a better hospital or take him to his family doctor.’ That is how things should be done. But no family member was contacted.

When exactly did you receive any information about his condition?

It was at 6 am on the 11th that Sebastian was informed that Fabian was ill.

What did you do immediately you were told?

When Sebastian arrived at the police clinic at the police headquarters in Makurdi, he found Fabian lying there, dead. So, it is possible that Fabian died in custody before they brought him to the hospital; either they tortured or poisoned him. Otherwise, between 12 midnight and 5 am, they should have contacted his family.

Since they did not inform you and you were not there to witness his final moments, you strongly believe he was tortured in custody?

Yes, it is very clear. They tortured him to death in custody and then took him to the hospital to create an excuse, so they could say, ‘We took him to the hospital before he died.’

While Fabian was detained, were you given access to visit him?

Yes, we were allowed to visit him.

What are your thoughts on the involvement of naval officers in what appears to be a civil dispute?

The case was purely civil in nature. I don’t understand why Sylvester, who represents the owner of Emy Global, was involved in this matter. From my understanding, Okafor owns Emy Global, and Sylvester is the overseer of the company.

A meeting was held at Sylvester house, and suddenly, naval officers appeared. Why would the navy be present at a civil meeting? Why didn’t Sylvester tell them, ‘I did not invite you to this meeting?’ Instead, he allowed them to arrest Fabian. The Navy does not have the mandate to arrest civilians.

If someone commits a crime in their presence, they can intervene, but in this case, who invited them? Sylvester knows the way to E Division, the police headquarters, and the area command. So, why call the Navy? That raises serious questions.

That is why we believe the Navy was on an illegal duty at that time. This is why the family is accusing them of conspiracy, conspiring with Sylvester and the police to treat Fabian in such a manner.

Did you ask Sebastian if they were maltreated while he was also detained?

Yes, and he confirmed that they were harassed and maltreated.

Do you have any evidence or eyewitness reports to support this?

Yes, because Sebastian was involved. He was an eyewitness to what happened. He was arrested alongside Fabian. So, he knows more about the incident.

Do you believe Fabian’s death was a result of torture or negligence?

I believe that if Fabian had been out, he wouldn’t have died, because he was healthy. So, whatever led to his death, whether it was psychological trauma from the naval officers, torture in the cell, or even poisoning, I do not know. But I strongly believe he did not die a natural death.

So, why did the family reject the police request for an autopsy?

It is because we already know the cause of death. Why should we go for a post-mortem when the circumstances are clear? Fabian was healthy before his arrest. He suffered severe psychological trauma, was taken to a police cell, and was possibly targeted by someone who wanted him dead. We don’t need an oracle to tell us what killed him.

Has an independent autopsy been conducted?

No, we don’t have the financial resources for that kind of investigation.

Have you received any official response from the police or government authorities regarding your demands for an independent investigation?

No, we haven’t.

What specific actions is the family taking to seek justice?

We are consulting with our lawyers and preparing to seek justice in court. We also want the Nigerian Navy to investigate the actions of its personnel that led to Fabian’s death. Similarly, we demand that the Nigeria Police Force conduct an internal investigation into the conduct of its officers involved in this case.

We cannot understand why the police refused to grant Fabian bail over a mere allegation with no proof. They detained him as if he was a criminal, holding him for more than 24 hours. We need to know why.

Furthermore, we want the Inspector General of Police to explain why Fabian was taken to the hospital without his family’s consent. Why was he ill in police custody for over five hours without his family being contacted? The IG must investigate this.

You mentioned having a lawyer. Have any legal steps been taken against the police, naval officers, or the complainant, Chief Sylvester?

No legal action has been taken yet.

What do you want from the government, human rights organisations, and the public regarding this case?

We want justice; justice is what we are demanding.

We reject the actions of the police. We strongly believe that Fabian died in the police cell before they moved him to the hospital.

If you had the opportunity to address the authorities directly, what would you say?

If I had the chance, I would ask the authorities to investigate the naval officers who arrested Fabian and Sebastian. Who sent them? Was it within their mandate to arrest people who had committed no crime? As far as I’m concerned, Fabian did nothing wrong.

They went there and handcuffed him like a common criminal. Sebastian Gwabo, a respected chief of staff to the ALGON chairman, Benue State chapter, was also treated like a street criminal. The Navy must conduct a proper investigation. They must also investigate other individuals involved.

Additionally, CSP Omale, the police division head and the IPO assigned to the case, should be investigated. His role in Fabian’s case is suspicious. He claimed he was called at midnight, took Fabian to the hospital, and Fabian died at 5 am, yet he never informed the family. He is lying. He must tell the truth about Fabian’s death.

How old was Fabian?

He was in his early 30s.

Was he married or in a relationship?

He was married with two children.

How has his wife been coping?

She has been going through severe trauma; she still struggles to believe that Fabian is truly dead.

Yes, she lived with him for years, and he was never sick.

In fact, she was the one who visited the police station to check on him, but the police didn’t allow her, only for her to find out he was dead the next day. She has been in deep pain ever since.

What position was Fabian in the family?

He was the third among five children.

Where are the parents right now?

They are in Torkula village, Guma Local Government Area of Benue State. It has been a bad experience for everyone in the family.

What will the family do if justice is not served?

We are Nigerians, and in this country, it is the government’s responsibility to ensure the security of lives and property. The loss of one life is the nation’s calamity. So, justice must be done. We have faith in our country, in the judicial system, in the Nigerian Navy, and in the Nigeria Police. We believe justice will be served.

The question of justice not being served does not arise because justice must and will prevail. Fabian must get justice; his parents, wife, and children are extremely sad. It is a huge tragedy for us, and it is sad to realise that he died the way he died. We need justice.