A man has allegedly jumped into a canal and died to avoid arrest by the operatives of the Lagos State Police Command in the Ipaja area of the state.

The command’s spokesman, SP Benjamin Hundeyin, made this known in a post shared on his X account on Friday, October 18, 2024.

Hundeyin said the incident occurred at about 10:00 a.m. in the Mosan Okunola area of Ipaja on Wednesday, October 16.

Hundeyin, who was responding to the report that the man had encounter with the police and was chased him into the canal, said the report was not true.

He said the police visited the scene and met eyewitnesses on ground who gave their statements on the incident.

The police spokesperson stated: At about 10 a.m. 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.

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“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 knee-jerk 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.

“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. May God give his family the fortitude to bear the sad loss. Amen.”

Hundeyin assured Lagosians that the command would not condone any form of unprofessional conduct on the part of its officers.

The Star