A man in Lagos State has died from injuries sustained after he fell into a canal while allegedly attempting to evade arrest by police officers who accused him of being involved in Internet fraud.
Reports indicate that the incident occurred in the Ayobo area of Ipaja. A friend of the deceased’s wife shared details on social media, claiming that two police officers connected to the case have been detained. However, the state Police Public Relations Officer stated he was not informed of such an occurrence at the time of the query.
The deceased, suspected based on his tattoos, was reportedly chased by officers in plain clothes. Eyewitness accounts describe the man as being unconscious when pulled from the canal and taken to the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, where he later died.
The friend of the deceased recounted the harrowing events through social media posts, detailing how police pursued the man until he fell into the canal after losing his balance. She emphasized that the officers insisted he was a fraudster without finding any incriminating evidence during their search.
In response to the unfolding situation, the Police Public Relations Officer noted that the incident had not been officially reported to the police but acknowledged ongoing investigations. He confirmed that the area commander is personally overseeing the matter and called for any additional information from the public.
On Friday, the friend reported the tragic update that the man had succumbed to his injuries late on Wednesday night. She expressed her grief over the situation, highlighting that his wife had faced challenges when trying to report the incident to the police, receiving unsatisfactory responses from the officers.
Further updates indicated that, following eyewitness accounts, two of the pursuing officers had been detained. The police are collaboratively working to gather more information related to the case.
