A man identified simply as Opeyemi has drowned in a river in the Agility area of Mile 12, Lagos State, after allegedly jumping into the water while being chased by suspected cultists.
The incident reportedly occurred on Saturday, September 12, with accounts differing over the events that led to the man entering the river.
A police source told Punch Metro that Opeyemi was on his way to purchase an item when some persons allegedly began chasing him.
According to the source, the men eventually caught up with him and allegedly attacked him. Opeyemi was then said to have jumped into the river in an attempt to escape his alleged attackers.
A resident who spoke about the incident claimed that some people attempted to rescue Opeyemi after he entered the river. However, the resident alleged that those chasing him prevented the rescue attempt.
Opeyemi subsequently drowned.
However, an anti-cultism advocacy platform, Naija Confra, gave a different account of the circumstances surrounding the incident.
The platform said some residents claimed that Opeyemi was under the influence of a substance and jumped into the river on his own. Other residents, however, alleged that he had been chased and attacked before he entered the water.
The conflicting accounts mean that the circumstances surrounding Opeyemi’s death remain unclear. The claims have not been independently verified, and there was no official account from the Lagos State Police Command as of the time of the report.
The incident has nonetheless drawn attention to concerns surrounding alleged cult-related violence in the Agility area and the potential danger faced by residents during such confrontations.
The police source’s account suggests that Opeyemi entered the river while attempting to escape an alleged attack, while the alternative account presented by Naija Confra raises the possibility that other factors may have contributed to his actions.
The Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer had yet to respond to inquiries concerning the incident as of the time of the Punch report.
Until an official investigation establishes what happened, it remains unclear whether Opeyemi was chased and attacked before jumping into the river or whether he entered the water voluntarily.
Further clarification from the police is expected to establish the circumstances surrounding the incident and whether any individuals were involved in the events leading to the man’s death.
