Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) in Edo State are demanding justice following the controversial death of Comrade Kaduna Eboigbodin, a former Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) in the state and a notable civil society leader.

Eboigbodin reportedly died after a confrontation with police officers during a stop-and-search operation in Benin City on Tuesday.

The incident occurred along the Upper Sokponba area, where Eboigbodin and his wife were stopped by officers for what was described as a routine vehicle check.

According to eyewitnesses and Eboigbodin’s wife, the officers raised concerns about discrepancies between the vehicle’s glass engraving number and its plate number, despite the vehicle’s documents being in order. Although Eboigbodin reportedly remained calm and explained the situation, the officers allegedly confiscated his documents, demanded his arrest, and insisted on towing the car to a nearby police station.

Tensions escalated during the exchange, and Eboigbodin is said to have collapsed. Shockingly, instead of offering assistance, the officers allegedly fled the scene. Onlookers and his wife rushed him to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead on arrival.

At a press briefing in Benin City, Rev. David Ugolor, Executive Director of the African Network for Environment and Economic Justice (ANEEJ), condemned the police officers’ actions and called for a full-scale investigation.

He described Eboigbodin’s death as a tragic case of police misconduct and stressed the need for systemic reform to prevent similar incidents.

Comrade Omobude Agho, Coordinator General of the Edo Civil Society Organizations (EDOCSO), and Comrade Marxist Kola Edokpayi of the Talakawa Parliament joined other CSO leaders in expressing outrage and shock.

They emphasized that the incident underscored the vulnerability of all citizens to police misconduct and demanded immediate accountability.

In a joint statement, the CSOs issued a 48-hour ultimatum to the Edo State Police Command, calling for an impartial investigation and the prosecution of those involved in Eboigbodin’s death.

They warned that failure to the act decisively would result in mass protests to demand justice.

The groups also urged the Edo State Police to use this opportunity to restore public confidence in law enforcement, reiterating that such actions contradict the police’s slogan, “The Police is Your Friend.”

Efforts to reach the Edo State Police Command’s spokesperson, SP Moses Joel Yamu, for comments were unsuccessful.