The Oyo State Police Command has denied reports alleging that it arrested and charged a student, Al-Amin Mohammed, to court over an outstanding ₦8,000 debt before his death.
The Command described the report as false, unfounded and misleading, stating that the criminal charge against the deceased was not based on the ₦8,000 outstanding balance but on allegations of assault and malicious damage.
According to the Police, investigation into the matter established that Mohammed had collected ₦23,000 in cash from a female Point-of-Sale operator with an agreement to transfer the same amount to her through the POS transaction.
The Police said he subsequently refunded ₦15,000, leaving an outstanding balance of ₦8,000.
The Command said the dispute later escalated after Mohammed allegedly went to the complainant’s residence on September 8, 2026, where he was accused of assaulting her and damaging an Airtel SIM registration machine valued at ₦177,000.
The Police explained that efforts by community members and subsequently the Police to resolve the dispute amicably were unsuccessful after the complainant insisted on pursuing the matter in court.
Consequently, the Command said Mohammed was charged with assault and malicious damage based on the evidence gathered during investigation, and not for owing ₦8,000.
The Police further clarified that following his arraignment, the court granted him bail.
His subsequent remand at the Agodi Correctional Centre, according to the Command, resulted from his inability to immediately meet the bail conditions imposed by the court and was not a Police decision to detain him over the debt.
The Command also cautioned against drawing a direct connection between the criminal case and Mohammed’s subsequent death without verified evidence establishing such a link.
It stated that the circumstances surrounding the death should be subjected to appropriate investigation and determined on the basis of established facts rather than an inaccurate or incomplete account.
The Police Command expressed concern over the circulation of what it described as a misleading narrative and urged members of the public to rely on verified information concerning the case.
