The Oyo State Police Command has dismissed as false and misleading a report alleging that a student committed suicide after being detained by the police over an ₦8,000 debt.
The Command, in a statement on Saturday by the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), DSP Ayanlade Olayinka, said the report, which circulated widely on social media, did not accurately represent the circumstances surrounding the arrest, court proceedings and subsequent death of the deceased.
The report, titled, “They Ruined My Reputation; Student Commits Suicide After Oyo Police Detention Over ₦8,000 Debt,” alleged that the deceased was arrested and charged to court over his inability to repay an ₦8,000 debt, remanded in custody and subsequently took his own life three days after his release.
The police, however, said the facts established during investigation were different.
According to the Command, investigation revealed that the deceased had approached a female Point-of-Sale (POS) operator to collect ₦23,000 in cash, with the intention of transferring the same amount to her through the POS transaction.
The POS operator, the police said, handed over the ₦23,000 cash to him, but he allegedly left the scene without making the transfer or returning the money.
The Command said that after persistent efforts, the suspect eventually refunded ₦15,000, leaving an outstanding balance of ₦8,000, which he allegedly refused to pay.
It added that the complainant subsequently took possession of the suspect’s mobile phone pending repayment of the outstanding balance.
Rather than settle the matter, the police alleged that the suspect later went to the complainant’s residence at about 10pm on September 8, 2026, where he assaulted her and damaged her Airtel SIM registration machine valued at ₦177,000.
The incident, according to the Command, prompted members of the community to intervene in an attempt to resolve the dispute.
The police said the intervention was unsuccessful and the suspect was eventually handed over to vigilantes, who brought him to the police station alongside the complainant.
“Upon receiving the parties, the Police heard from both sides and made a further effort to resolve the matter amicably. However, that intervention also proved unsuccessful, as the complainant insisted on pursuing the case in court,” the statement said.
The Command explained that based on the outcome of its investigation and the evidence available, the suspect was charged to court for assault and malicious damage, and not over the outstanding ₦8,000.
It stressed that the ₦8,000 was merely the outstanding balance from the earlier financial transaction and was not the basis of the criminal proceedings.
The police further clarified that the suspect’s subsequent remand at the Agodi Correctional Centre was not ordered by the police.
According to the Command, the court granted the suspect bail after his arraignment, but he was unable to immediately meet the bail conditions imposed by the court.
He was subsequently released after meeting the conditions, the police said.
The Command therefore rejected the claim that the suspect was arrested or charged to court because of his inability to repay ₦8,000.
It also cautioned against drawing a direct connection between the police case and the reported death of the suspect without verified evidence establishing such a relationship.
“The circumstances surrounding the death should therefore be determined through appropriate investigation and established evidence, rather than through an inaccurate or incomplete narrative,” the Command said.
The police urged journalists and members of the public to exercise due diligence and verify sensitive reports, particularly those involving criminal proceedings and loss of life, before publishing or circulating them.
The Command reaffirmed its commitment to professionalism, due process, accountability and accurate public communication.
It also urged members of the public to contact the Oyo State Call Response Centre on 615, or the Police Command Control Room on 08081768614 and 07055495413 in case of emergencies for swift security response.