“Death in Police Custody: Apostle Bodmas Drags Bayelsa Police to IGP, Demands Abuja Take Over Peresuodei Case”
By Passman Akpos
Apostle Bodmas Kemepadei has formally petitioned the Inspector General of Police (IGP), seeking the transfer of the investigation into the death of Mr. Patrick Peresuodei from the Bayelsa State Police Command to the Force Headquarters in Abuja, citing concerns over transparency, neutrality and public confidence.
In the petition dated February 10, 2026, and written by Arthur & Co., Legal Practitioners, the petitioner engaged the services of a former Attorney-General of Bayelsa State to demand justice for the late Peresuodei and the constitution of an independent, high-powered panel of inquiry to determine the true cause of death.
According to the petition, the matter originated from alleged threats made by the deceased against Apostle Bodmas on Facebook on December 21, 2025. In the post, Peresuodei was said to have threatened to “test an AK-47” on the petitioner, a claim reportedly reinforced by a video in the Ijaw language. Copies of the Facebook post and video were attached to the petition.
The legal firm stated that on January 15, 2026, Mr. Peresuodei was arrested at his residence in Amassoma, Southern Ijaw Local Government Area, with the assistance of four Civil Defence Corps officers officially assigned to the petitioner. He was subsequently handed over to the Nigeria Police, Operation Puff Adder, Yenagoa, alongside his younger brother, Destiny Peresuodei, who was later discovered not to be involved.
The petitioner reportedly gave a statement to the police and was informed that the suspect would likely be charged to court on January 20, 2026. However, events took a dramatic turn when the Investigating Police Officer allegedly informed the petitioner on January 20 that Peresuodei was acting irrationally and had been taken to hospital. The petitioner was also told that administrative bail would be granted and that the suspect would return on January 26 for possible arraignment.
The petition further claimed that the petitioner lost contact with both the police and the suspect until January 30, 2026, when reports of Peresuodei’s death surfaced on social media. Upon inquiry, the IPO allegedly confirmed the death.
Arthur & Co. noted that the death has sparked widespread controversy online, with allegations of police complicity and counter-claims attempting to implicate Apostle Bodmas as a prime suspect. The petition argued that allowing the Bayelsa State Police Command to lead the investigation would undermine credibility, as officers of the command are already subjects of public suspicion.
“To guarantee independence, transparency and fairness, the investigation should not be led by the State Command,” the petition stated, urging the IGP to either transfer the case file to Abuja or constitute a special investigative team.
The legal practitioners stressed that granting the request is crucial to restoring public confidence in the Nigeria Police Force and ensuring justice for the deceased and his family. They also assured that Apostle Bodmas is willing to make himself available at any time to give his account of events.
Copies of the petition were also forwarded to the Bayelsa State Attorney-General and the Commissioner of Police, Bayelsa State, as public attention continues to focus on the circumstances surrounding the controversial death.
