LAGOS POLICE DENIES STORY ITS OFFICERS BEAT A COMMERCIAL DRIVER TO DEATH

Lagos police denies its officers beat ‘danfo’ driver to death over bribe

The Lagos State Police Command has refuted claims that two of its officers beat a commercial bus aka ‘danfo’ driver to death.

Earlier on Monday, reports had gone viral that the late danfo driver, Muyiwa Ijaduola, was tortured by police officers at Igando area of Lagos state after he allegedly refused to bribe them.

The 46-year-old driver, who was identified through an ID card found on him, was said to be a staff of the department of works of Joseph Ayo Babalola University.

He had reportedly picked passengers from Iyana-Iba to Isheri, and had stopped at Igando after he was accosted by two policewomen who demanded for N2, 000 from him.

The driver reportedly offered them N300 instead, but they refused to take the money. He reportedly promised to give them more money if they would let him return on another trip.

Reports also had it that one of the policewomen dragged the driver out of the vehicle and proceeded to hit him with her baton. He was reportedly pushed inside a ditch for about 15 minutes before he was brought out.

He was, however, found dead while still clutching the N300 he had earlier offered the policewomen.

Following the development, the policewomen reportedly took to their heels when they discovered Ijaduola had passed on.

The corpse was reportedly abandoned for several hours before it was removed from the spot.

But denying the allegation that the driver was killed by police officers over bribe, the Command on Tuesday said he died from an epilepsy attack.

The deputy spokesperson of the command, Mr. Ozoani Chukwuma, reportedly ascribed the incident to be a case of ‘sudden and unnatural death.’

Chukwuma said, “What happened at Igando was a case of sudden and unnatural death of a commercial bus driver suspected to have had epileptic attack at Oye Bus-stop, Igando, while calling passengers into his bus.

“He consequently fell into the gutter. Two policewomen on traffic duty at the bus stop quickly called on sympathizers to help him out.

“He was unconscious when brought out, and he was rushed to the General hospital, where he was confirmed dead,” the deputy spokesperson added.