Tragedy struck on Wednesday in the Ipaja area of Lagos State when a young man fell into a canal after allegedly being chased by police officers, according to witnesses.
The incident came to light after #Omorhemi, a friend of the victim’s wife, shared details on the social media platform X.com on Thursday. Omorhemi alleged that police officers in plain clothes stopped the young man while he was on a motorcycle, accused him of being a “Yahoo boy” (internet fraudster) due to his tattoos, and later pursued him.
She wrote, “Yesterday morning, police chased my friend’s husband till he fell into the canal. They took his slippers and money and left when people began shouting.” She further revealed that the incident occurred near Federal Bus Stop, Ipaja-Ayobo and that the victim was rushed to the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH), where he was placed on oxygen.
According to Omorhemi’s post, the officers initially stopped the man’s bike, searched him, and threatened to shoot him. “He started moving away, saying he wasn’t a Yahoo boy, and they followed him until he ran,” she claimed.
By Friday morning, Omorhemi shared a grim update, announcing the man’s death. “He has given up! Yet to inform the wife,” she posted.
Omorhemi also recounted the victim’s wife’s visit to the Area P Police Station on the day of the incident. According to her, officers there allegedly admitted to pushing the man, but follow-ups on the case were delayed due to efforts to save his life.
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Police Deny Chasing Victim
In a statement released on Friday, Lagos State Police spokesperson Benjamin Hundeyin disputed the narrative, offering a different account.
He said, “The police did not interact with or chase the man. Instead, he ran and jumped into the canal upon seeing the police.” Hundeyin explained that the man, riding on a motorcycle against traffic, panicked when he noticed a police vehicle approaching.
According to Hundeyin, the bike rider made a U-turn while the victim jumped off, ran through a nearby tipper garage, and ignored warnings from bystanders about the canal ahead. “Unfortunately, he jumped into the canal despite their warnings,” he said.
The spokesperson added that police officers only went to the canal after being informed by witnesses but left the scene after not seeing the man resurface.
“The police officers did not speak with, touch, or chase the young man. He bolted at the sight of them,” Hundeyin reiterated.
While expressing sympathy to the bereaved family, Hundeyin assured the public that any unprofessional conduct by officers would not be tolerated. “Lagosians can rest assured that #LagosPoliceNG, under CP Olanrewaju Ishola, will not condone any form of misconduct”, he stated.
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