N8,000 DEBT SUICIDE: HOW OYO POLICE TRIGGERED ‘POOR’ STUDENT’S DEATH

New details surrounding the death of a 30-year-old polytechnic student, Al-Amin Mohammed, have raised questions about the handling of the case by the Oyo State Police Command.

Al-Amin was reportedly detained at the Sanyo Police Division over an N8,000 debt after a dispute involving his mobile phone. His family later alleged that the police demanded N100,000 for his bail.

When the family could not raise the money, Al-Amin was taken to court and subsequently remanded at the Agodi Custodial Centre pending the fulfilment of his bail conditions.

A few days after securing his release, Al-Amin, who combined aluminium work with his studies at a polytechnic in Kwara State, ingested poison and died.

The police later said he was prosecuted for assault and malicious damage to an Airtel SIM registration machine valued at N177,000, insisting that the case was unrelated to the N8,000 debt.

However, a review of the charge sheet by Saturday PUNCH reportedly showed that the police’s explanation was incomplete. The document listed charges of conduct likely to cause a breach of public peace and damage to an Android Itel phone valued at N177,000.

The second count also contained details of the N8,000 debt.

A retired Deputy Superintendent of Police, Isiaka Ayole, who secured Al-Amin’s bail from the custodial centre, said the deceased told him he had suffered because he was poor and did not know anyone who could help him.

Ayole said Al-Amin also alleged that a woman known as Iya Ajike had taken his phone while he was sleeping, describing the incident as the beginning of the dispute.

Iya Ajike, an apprentice of Point-of-Sale operator Kazeem Mukaila, had reportedly been approached by Al-Amin to collect N23,000 in cash. He transferred N15,000 and promised to pay the remaining N8,000 after saying he had exceeded his daily transaction limit.

When the balance was not paid, Ajike reportedly went to Al-Amin’s residence and seized his phone while he was sleeping.

Al-Amin later returned to retrieve the phone, leading to a scuffle during which an Airtel-branded phone used for business was allegedly damaged.

Al-Amin reportedly denied damaging the device but was detained by a vigilante, handed over to the police, taken to court and remanded in custody.

Ayole argued that the dispute could have been handled differently, particularly after the complainant reportedly indicated that she was interested in recovering her money rather than pursuing a criminal case.

He questioned why the police did not allow Al-Amin’s parents to act as guarantors and work out an arrangement for the repayment of the debt.

Al-Amin’s father, Habeeb Mohammed, also said the family was facing serious financial difficulties. He alleged that the Divisional Crime Officer at the Sanyo Police Division demanded N100,000 for his son’s bail.

According to him, the family struggled to meet the bail conditions set by the court. A lawyer was eventually said to have represented Al-Amin pro bono.

Habeeb said Al-Amin’s mother even sold her phone to raise money for transportation and food while visiting her son in prison.

He added that he sought financial assistance from relatives and well-wishers and sold some belongings to raise money for the bail conditions.

The bereaved father said the family was still struggling to understand how an N8,000 dispute eventually resulted in the death of his son, whom he described as the family’s main provider.

Legal experts also questioned the circumstances surrounding the case.

A senior associate at Yusuf Ali & Co, Taofiq Olateju, said a person could not lawfully seize another person’s property simply because the individual owed money.

He explained that creditors were expected to use lawful means to recover debts rather than resort to self-help.

Constitutional lawyer Musbau Saheed similarly said the police had no power to arrest or detain a person merely because of a civil debt.

He cited Section 32(2) of the Police Act 2020, which provides that a person should not be arrested merely because of a civil wrong or breach of contract.

Saheed argued that if a creditor unlawfully seized a debtor’s property, the matter should be addressed through legal channels rather than by detaining the debtor.

The Executive Director of the Rule of Law and Accountability Advocacy Centre, Okechukwu Nwanguma, said the police were entitled to investigate genuine allegations of assault or criminal damage but should clearly distinguish criminal investigations from the enforcement of private debts.

Nwanguma said the circumstances surrounding Al-Amin’s death warranted an independent review to determine whether police powers were properly exercised and whether opportunities to peacefully resolve the dispute were missed.

He said investigators should examine the entire chain of events, from the original N8,000 debt and alleged seizure of Al-Amin’s phone to the vigilante intervention, alleged phone damage, police arrest, detention, bail conditions, prosecution and events following his release.

Meanwhile, psychologist Bola Lawal said the humiliation associated with debt, public embarrassment and detention could contribute to feelings of hopelessness among vulnerable people.

She stressed that suicide was not a solution and urged people facing financial distress or public humiliation to seek support from family members, counsellors and mental health professionals.

The case has continued to raise questions about the handling of civil debt disputes, police powers and the circumstances surrounding Al-Amin’s death.