Suspect jumps from building to evade arrest, dies

Tragedy struck in the Abesan Housing Estate, in the Ipaja area of Lagos State on Monday, after a man, Njamasi Richard, jumped from a building.

The PUNCH learnt that Richard, who was married with children, jumped off from the two-storeyed building at about 11pm when policemen from the Ipaja division came to arrest him for a case of fraud.

Our correspondent gathered that a complainant, identified as Ajagunjeun, had reported to the police that Richard allegedly defrauded him of a sum of N24m.

The policemen were said to have arrived at the block to arrest Richard when he allegedly jumped off through the back door of his flat.

It was learnt that Richard was initially rushed to a private hospital for treatment and immediately referred to the Igando General Hospital where he died on Tuesday.

A resident, who gave his name simply as Akin, said Richard’s action was a shock to all the neighbours.

He said, “The man and his family lived in Flat 6, which is on the topmost floor. He was not a youth as he had children old enough to be married. On that Monday, what we heard was that as he got the news that some policemen were climbing upstairs to arrest him, he jumped down from the back door of this flat.

“He might have been trying to evade police arrest, but he did not do it wisely.”

The Police Public Relations Officer, SP Dolapo Badmos, confirmed the incident.

She added that Richard’s corpse had been deposited in a morgue while investigation was ongoing.

She said, “It is a case of sudden and unnatural death, which is under investigation. The suspect sustained injuries when he fell from his flat. He was rushed by the police to the Igando General Hospital, where he died while receiving treatment.”

Punch