Peresuodei was arrested and detained under questionable circumstances and later released in critical condition, only to die days afterward.
Youths in Bayelsa State on Tuesday stormed a police station in a heated protest, demanding justice for the late Patrick Peresuodei, who reportedly died days after his release from police custody amid allegations of torture and abuse of power.
The protest followed accusations that an All Progressives Congress (APC) stakeholder, identified as Bodmas Kemepadei, alongside some personnel of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), allegedly used their influence to orchestrate the arrest, assault and torture of the deceased.
According to accounts by the protesters, Peresuodei was arrested and detained under questionable circumstances and later released in critical condition, only to die days afterward.
The youths insist that his death is directly linked to his treatment while in custody and have called for an independent investigation and prosecution of all those involved.
Tensions escalated during the protest when a confrontation broke out between the demonstrators and police officers at the station.
In a video obtained by SaharaReporters, a youth leader is seen engaging in a heated argument with police officers, during which one officer allegedly insulted him by calling him stupid.
Visibly angered, the youth leader responded in the video, saying, “Don’t tell me I’m stupid,” as other protesters shouted in solidarity and accused the police of intimidation and disrespect.
The protesters condemned a pattern of abuse of power, unlawful arrests and degrading treatment of young people in the state, particularly when politically connected individuals are involved.
They also accused security agencies of attempting to silence them rather than address the core issues surrounding Peresuodei’s death.
SaharaReporters previously reported that the younger brother of Patrick Peresousdei, who died six days after his release from a detention facility operated by the Bayelsa State Police Command known as Operation Puff Alder, has accused security operatives of torturing Patrick while in custody, allegations the police have denied.
Patrick’s brother, Destiny Peresousdei, said though he and his brother were assaulted and abused by Bodmas Kemepadei, alongside some personnel of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), before both brothers were handed over to the police that his late brother was critically ill following alleged torture by some police officers.
In a 20-minute video on SaharaReporters in which the Bayelsa State Commissioner for Youth Development, Alfred Kemepado Nimizigha, is seen visiting the family as part of a fact-finding effort aimed at calming tensions following Patrick’s death. In the video, Destiny disputes police claims that Patrick was already injured before his arrest.
“My name is Destiny Peresousdei, and it was on January 15, 2026, around 5:45 a.m., when someone knocked at our gate,” Destiny said. “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,” he said. “They used planks and machetes. We were bleeding before they finally took us to Operation Puff Alder.”
According to Destiny, the brothers 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,” Destiny said. “That was when my uncle rushed him to the hospital.”
Patrick was taken to several public hospitals in Bayelsa State and later referred to tertiary facilities in Port Harcourt, 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,” Destiny said. “Everything we did was on our own.”
Meanwhile, the Bayelsa State Police Command has not publicly responded in detail to these fresh allegations.
Earlier, the police command said the two brothers were received with wounds on their bodies
Upon their arrival at the Station, bruises were reportedly seen on the bodies of the suspects by the Police. However, due to the seriousness of the allegation, an investigation commenced immediately. Statements were obtained from the suspects, but Peresuodei Ondutimi Abbah (M) now deceased was observed not to be coherent in his statement and was taken to the Police Clinic for medical examination and treatment. At the hospital, the attending doctor advised that the suspect be released to his relatives for proper medical attention.
Meanwhile, civil society groups have called for an independent investigation into the circumstances surrounding Patrick’s arrest, detention and death, amid renewed concerns over alleged abuses at specialised police units in the state.