Man jumps into canal to evade arrest in Lagos

The Lagos State Police Command has said a man allegedly jumped into a canal and died in a bid to avoid arrest in the Ipaja area of the state.

SP Benjamin Hundeyin, the Command’s Public Relations Officer, stated this in the post he shared on his verified X handle @benHundeyin on Friday.

He said that the incident happened on Wednesday at about 10:00 a.m. in Mosan Okunola area of Ipaja.

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

He said that the police visited the scene and met eye witnesses on ground who voluntarily gave their statements regarding the unfortunate incident.

“The young man was a passenger on a motorcycle, riding against the 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 a 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 spokesperson said.

Hundeyin stated that the police officers, who were surprised at his behaviour, stopped their vehicle, alighted and went in the direction of the canal.

“The people around informed the police that the young man had 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,” he said.

He assured Lagosians that the command, under CP Olanrewaju Ishola, would not condone any form of unprofessional conduct on the part of its officers.