On Wednesday, October 16, 2024, a young man lost his life after jumping into a canal while allegedly evading police in the Ipaja area of Lagos State.
The Lagos Police Command’s Spokesman, SP Benjamin Hundeyin, confirmed the tragic event on his verified X handle @benHundeyin on Friday, providing a detailed account of the circumstances surrounding the man’s death.
According to SP Hundeyin’s statement, the incident occurred at approximately 10:00 a.m. in the Mosan Okunola area of Ipaja.
He reported, “The police visited the scene and met eye witnesses on ground who voluntarily gave their statements regarding the unfortunate incident.”
The spokesman elaborated on the sequence of events, stating, “At about 10am on Wednesday, October 16, 2024, somewhere around Gowon Estate, the young man was a passenger on a motorcycle riding against traffic.” The situation escalated rapidly when the motorcycle encountered a police vehicle. “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,” Hundeyin explained.
Eyewitnesses at the tipper garage observed the man’s frantic behavior as he fled. SP Hundeyin noted, “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.”
Despite these warnings, the man continued his desperate escape attempt.
The tragic climax of the incident came when the man, disregarding all cautions, “did not stop but unfortunately jumped into the canal.” The police officers, taken aback by his extreme reaction, halted their vehicle and proceeded to investigate the area where the man had disappeared.
SP Hundeyin emphasized that the police did not directly interact with or pursue the individual. “The police officers did not speak with him, did not touch him, did not chase him, did nothing. The young man simply saw them and bolted,” he stated.
After waiting for several minutes without any sign of the man resurfacing, the police left the scene, believing he had successfully evaded them.
Expressing condolences, the police spokesman said, “May God give his family the fortitude to bear the sad loss. Amen.” He also reassured the public about the integrity of the Lagos Police force, stating, “Lagosians are assured that @LagosPoliceNG under CP Olanrewaju Ishola, psc+, mnips would not condone any form of unprofessional conduct on the part of its officers.”
