FI J
Betty Omowunmi, a Lagos-based trader, has narrated how policemen from the Area P Command in Lagos State chased Temitope Oyetade, her friend’s husband, to his death at Ayobo in Lagos.
Omowunmi, who posted about the incident on X on Thursday, before Oyetade’s eventual demise, told FIJ that Oyetade was on a bike heading to Oshodi from Ayobo on Wednesday morning when police officers in mufti stopped his motorcycle.
According to Omowunmi, the police officers searched him briefly before they began to accuse him of being an internet fraudster. She said they justified their accusation with his tattoos and would not let him defend himself before they became violent.
“They started cocking their guns and were telling him they would shoot him. As soon as they did, he took to his heels in fear. The policemen pursued him for a long distance. While he was running, his money fell out of his pockets, and he left his slippers, but the police went away with them afterwards,” Omowunmi told FIJ.
“Oyetade kept running until he fell into the canal at Moshalashi. Seeing this, the officers left the scene and entered their bus. Bystanders murmured that the police pushed him to his death. Well-meaning onlookers took him to Okikiola Hospital.
“He was later referred to the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH), where he was placed on oxygen before passing away in the wee hours of Friday. His wife is still unconscious, and we’re still trying to comfort her.”
FIJ called Benjamin Hundeyin, the Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), on Friday for comments but he did not take his call. He had also not responded to the text FIJ sent to his phone.
However, Omowunmi posted on X at 2:36 pm on Friday that some eyewitnesses in the area had pointed out two of the officers who pursued the deceased.
THIS STORY FIRST APPEARED IN FIJ