Nigeria: student jumps from storey building, runs into mosque to evade arrest

A student of the University of Ilorin [Unilorin] jumped from a storey building and ran into a mosque where he disrupted a prayer session to evade arrest, police have said in a statement.

Suleiman Usman Olamilekan, suspected to be a cult member, was being arrested for allegedly stealing a mobile phone belonging to a female student of the same institution.

Ajayi Okasanmi, DSP, Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Kwara Police Command, in the statement, was reacting to a social media news titled “an unfortunate conduct of two of its officers exercising application of force in arresting a suspect on 13/12/2019 at Oko Oba in Tanke Oke Odo area of Ilorin”.

Okasanmi explained that a female student of the University of Ilorin (name withheld) reported a case of stolen telephone handset at Tanke Division.

He said, “one Suleiman Usman Olamilekan said to be a student of same university and his gang of cultists were suspected to have perpetrated the crime. The chief suspect was also said to be a notorious criminal who has been evading arrest for his involvement in series of criminal activities and other cult related crimes.”

Okasanmi said that two policemen from F Division, Tanke were detailed to arrest the suspects.

“In the course of effecting the arrest, the suspect who was already arrested in his room jumped down from the storey building and ran with a cuffed hands into a nearby mosque where Muslim faithful were observing their Jumat prayers.

“He was chased out by the faithful in the mosque and he started struggling with the police officers in order to avoid being taken to the station. He was however overpowered by the arresting team and the stolen telephone set eventually recovered from him.”

The PPRO said that the Command would not condone any act of impunity by its officers adding,



“Kwara State Police Command wishes to affirm its commitment to the respect for the sanctity of human life and dignity of persons but will not allow criminal elements in our society to continue to terrorize innocent citizens with impunity.

“Consequently the Commissioner of Police Kwara State Command, Ag Cp Kayode Egbetokun has ordered a thorough investigation into the matter. Disciplinary action will, however, be taken against the arresting officers if found to have used unreasonable force in the arrest of the suspect.”