A man, whose identity has not yet been revealed, has died from injuries sustained after falling into a canal while trying to evade arrest by police officers who allegedly labeled him a fraudster in the Ayobo area of Ipaja, Lagos State.
It was stated that a friend of the deceased man’s wife claimed in a series of tweets on X.com that two police officers had been detained in connection with the incident.
However, the state Police Public Relations Officer, Benjamin Hundeyin, stated that he was unaware of such a claim when contacted for confirmation on Friday October 18.
It was reported that plainclothes police officers accused the man of being an Internet fraudster based on his tattoos.
When he was rescued from the canal, he was found unconscious and was rushed to the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital in Ikeja GRA, where he later died.
This information was shared through a series of tweets on Thursday, October 18, by a user named Omorhemi, who identified herself as a friend of the deceased’s wife.
“Yesterday morning, the police chased my friend’s husband till he fell into the canal. They took his slippers and money that fell and left when people started shouting. This happened at the Federal Bus Stop, Ipaja, Ayobo axis. He is currently unconscious at LASUTH.
“The officers were on mufti. They stopped him on a bike, and the bike man left. They searched him insisting he is a Yahoo boy because of his tattoos and started cocking their guns that they will shoot him, he started moving away saying he was not and they started following him till he ran.
“According to eyewitnesses, he stopped and they searched him, they didn’t see anything but insisted he is a Yahoo boy and started cocking their guns; he didn’t even run till they started trying to hit him. He was moving away gently till they started running and he slipped,” Omorhemi wrote.
In response to the video on Thursday evening, October 17, the state Police Public Relations Officer, Benjamin Hundeyin, stated that the incident had not been reported to the police station; however, he confirmed that an investigation was still underway..
“Since we saw this video, we have been making concerted efforts to verify this claim but nothing has turned up yet. We have checked our records and no report has been made till now of this incident that the narrator explained happened yesterday. Nonetheless, our investigation is ongoing,” Hundeyin wrote
“The Area Commander covering that entire axis is personally on it. Anyone with additional and useful information should please reach out to us. We will keep the public updated on our findings.”
In a series of tweets on Friday,October 18, Omorhemi provided an update, revealing that the man passed away late Wednesday night while in the hospital.
“He has given up! I’m yet to tell the wife as of now. Nigerian Police! Nigerian Police!! I am not pleased to inform you that this young man died in the middle of the night on Wednesday few hours after the incident,” Omorhemi wrote
“The wife went to the police station, Area P to report and the officers asked her if they were the ones that pushed him. She couldn’t wait as she wasn’t stable while still trying to get her husband to receive the best treatment.
“All hands have been on deck to make sure the man survived which was why follow-up at the station was not done. There are eyewitnesses on this platform that saw the incident unfold.”
In another tweet shared by Omorhemi on Friday afternoon, October 18, she revealed that two officers who allegedly pursued the man had been detained.
“Thanks to some eyewitnesses who have been able to point out two from the officers and the cooperation of their DPO, they have been taken and detained at Area M where the Area commander is Benjamin Hundeyin and Olumuyiwa Adejobi,” she wrote.
When Hundeyin was called to confirm the detention of the policemen as claimed by Omorhemi, he said, “I am aware of such.”
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