An unidentified man, on Thursday, jumped to his death from a 7th floor apartment at 1004 Estate, Victoria Island, Lagos, in his attempt to escape arrest during a raid by the operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.
Eyewitnesses told FirstNews Online that the deceased jumped from an apartment at Block D5 when the EFCC operatives stormed the estate in search of some suspects on Thursday morning.
They said that the incident occurred when a combined team of EFCC officials and policemen entered the estate to arrest suspected Internet fraudsters, notoriously referred to as ‘Yahoo Boys’ operating in the area.
But the deceased, who was said to be a visitor to the estate, allegedly jumped from the apartment while the raid was going on and died from the impact.
The incident was said to have forced the EFCC operatives to halt their operations immediately and leave the estate to inform the police at the Bar Beach Division.
State Police Public Relations Officer, Muyiwa Adejobi, who confirmed the incident, said that it was not clear that the deceased man was even a suspect.
He said after the man jumped and landed on the ground, he was rushed to a hospital where he later died.
The PPRO said, “It was true. He was not even the target of the EFCC when he jumped from the seventh floor. We were told that he was not a resident but a guest.
“It is quite unfortunate. He was taken to the hospital after he had sustained fractures and he was placed on oxygen but gave up the ghost. We are trying to ascertain his identity. Once that is done, we will contact his family.”
EFCC spokesman, Wilson Uwujaren, could not be reached for comments as of the time of filing this report.