By Victor Ahiuma-Young
Police officers at the Sagamu Road Police Station, Ikorodu, Lagos State, have come under fire for allegedly demanding N300, 000 to release a woman in custody following the sudden death of her male friend, who reportedly died before arrival at the Ikorodu General Hospital early Tuesday.
Vanguard gathered that the woman, whose name is being withheld, was detained after she voluntarily reported the incident to the police.
The deceased, said to have been managing high blood pressure, reportedly slumped after a heated phone conversation with one of his children late Monday night.
Sources said he was first taken to a private hospital before being referred to the Ikorodu General Hospital, where he was confirmed dead on arrival. Some health workers were said to have advised the woman to report the incident to the nearest police station, a move that unfortunately led to her detention.
Family members of the deceased told Vanguard that they had met all the police’s requirements and even deposited the corpse at the general hospital morgue.
“We told the DPO and IPO there was no suspicion of foul play, and they should please release her,” one of them said.However, police officers allegedly demanded N300,000 for her release through a female investigating officer. “They told us to bring N300, 000, but we explained that we’ve already spent over N50, 000 on this case,” a relative said. “When we offered N50, 000, they said we were not ready to secure her freedom.”
As of press time, the woman remains in police custody at the Sagamu Road Police Station.
Meanwhile, a source narrated that the deceased had returned home from work on Monday night when he received a distressing call from one of his children.
The call reportedly triggered a surge in blood pressure, causing him to complain of severe headache and profuse sweating.
“He asked the woman to buy him pain relievers, but his condition did not get better after. She called neighbours, who rushed him to a private hospital before he was referred to the general hospital. Sadly, he died on the way,” the source added.
Vanguard’s efforts to reach the Divisional Police Officer for comments were unsuccessful at press time.
The post Police demand N300,000 to free woman over friend’s death in Lagos appeared first on Vanguard News.
