Police Release Preliminary Findings on Nigerian Youth Who Died in Lagos Canal, Details Emerge
- The Lagos police command clarified that a young man who died in a canal in Ipaja area of the state was fleeing from officers
- On Wednesday, October 16, viral social media videos showed a man removing a youth from a canal
- The narrator in the clip claimed the man, who was on his last legs, was pursued by some police officers and added that some of his belongings were taken away
Legit.ng journalist, Ridwan Adeola Yusuf, has over 9 years of experience covering metro.
Ikeja, Lagos state - The police in Lagos said its men visited the scene of a tragedy in Water Tipper Garage, Mosan-Okunola - Ipaja.
On Thursday, October 17, an X (formerly Twitter) user, @Omorhemi, tweeted that police operatives “chased my friend's husband till he fell into the canal”.
Source: Facebook
She accused the police officials of taking the victim’s slippers and money. The incident happened on Wednesday, October 16.
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Also, @Omorhemi said the Nigerian youth who allegedly suffered police brutality was taken to Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH) unconscious where he later gave up the ghost.
Videos attached to the social media user’s claim have gone viral, garnering 1.4 million views. It drew public outrage.
But reacting to the allegation on Friday evening, October 18, Benjamin Hundeyin, spokesperson of the police in Lagos state, said eye witnesses’ account claimed otherwise.
He wrote in a statement shared on X:
“At about 10 am on Wednesday, October 16, 2024, somewhere around Gowon Estate, the young man was a passenger on a motorcycle riding against traffic.
"Immediately they sighted the police approaching in their vehicle, the rider made a sharp u-turn while the passenger jumped off the motorcycle, crossed the road and ran through the nearby tipper garage.
“People in the garage who saw him running towards the canal and at the same time emptying the contents of his pockets agitatedly warned him about a canal ahead. He did not stop but unfortunately jumped into the canal. The police officers, startled at his spontaneous reaction, stopped their vehicle, alighted and went in the direction of the canal. The people around informed the police that the young man jumped into the canal. They all went to look, waited some minutes, did not see him, upon which the police left, believing he successfully evaded them.”
Furthermore, Hundeyin explained that the police officers "did not speak with the deceased, did not touch him, did not chase him, did nothing”.
He said:
“The young man simply saw them and bolted.”
Lagos DPO slumps, dies
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that tragedy struck at Ijanikin Police Station in Lagos state after the divisional police officer (DPO) CSP Bolaji Olugbenga, slumped and died in his office.
CSP Olugbenga died before he could be rushed to a hospital.
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Source: Legit.ng
