An 80-year-old widow, Mrs Bridget Osuhor, has accused the police of illegally detaining her son, Jude, over the death of his wife.

She said Jude and his sister-in-law, Happiness Efifie, were arrested in Lagos on October 2 and transferred to the Force Criminal Investigation Department in Abuja on October 4 after the deceased’s younger sister, Loveth, accused them of killing her sister, Vivian.

Mrs Osuhor added that despite a medical report showing that Vivan died as a result of complications from a miscarriage, Loveth decided to press charges.

She noted that their detention was challenged in court and the police were directed on November 5 to release them, stating that the duo were still in custody.

She said, “I am appealing to the Inspector-General of Police, Usman Baba Alkali, and the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, to use their good offices to ensure the release of my detained son, Mr Jude Osuhor, and his sister-in-law, Miss Happiness Efifie, from police custody as directed by Justice I. E. Ekwo of the Federal High Court, Abuja, on November 5, 2021, in suits nos.

“Jude Osuhor and Happiness Efifie were arrested in Lagos on October 2, 2021 by members of the Nigeria Police Force from the FCID in Abuja. This was instigated by  the deceased’s youngest sister, Loveth Efifie,  despite a medical report and a death certificate issued by Dr Oyetunde Oyeyinka of the Healing Field Specialist Clinics, Ajao Estate, Lagos, which stated that Vivian died of Fiboid Menorrhagia, Septicemia and Diabetic Ketoacidosis on  September 14, following complications from a miscarriage of her eight weeks pregnancy.

 “Happiness is the immediate younger sister of the deceased and had lived with her late sister and Jude for years in their Lagos home.

 “Jude and Happiness were transferred from Lagos to Abuja on October 4 and were initially granted bail on October 5 as police investigation did not reveal any reasonable cause for their continued detention.

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“After their return to Lagos following the bail, they were re-invited by the police to Abuja by DIG Joseph Egbunike of the FCID on October 15 and have remained in police custody since then.”

A spokesperson for the FCID, DSP Funmi Eguaoje, said the case involved murder, adding that their release might jeopardise police investigation.

Eguaoje said, “This is a murder case. That she has got an order from the court to release the suspect is what I don’t know because his release may jeopardise the outcome of investigation.”

Loveth, however, declined to speak on the matter.