A 30-year-old student and aluminium worker, Al-Amin Mohammed, has taken his own life in Ibadan after enduring police detention, prosecution, and remand at the Agodi Custodial Centre over an N8,000 debt dispute.
The Kwara State polytechnic student ingested poison on September 17, just three days after his release on bail, leaving a final voice message for his mother expressing overwhelming frustration over what he described as the intentional destruction of his reputation.
Minor financial dispute escalates to police arrest and prison remand
The tragedy stems from an unresolved financial transaction with a local Point-of-Sale (POS) operator named Kazeem in the Oni-Gaari area of Ibadan.
According to Al-Amin’s mother, Simiat Mohammed, her son had repaid N15,000 out of a N23,000 transaction, leaving an N8,000 balance.
The dispute escalated when the operator’s shop attendant seized Al-Amin’s mobile phone as collateral.
A subsequent physical struggle to retrieve the device allegedly resulted in damage to a business phone screen.
The sequence of events leading to the student’s death unfolded as follows:
September 8–9: Al-Amin was held overnight by local vigilantes before being handed over to officers at the Sanyo Divisional Police Station.
September 10: He was charged at the Mapo Magistrate Court in Ibadan without prior notice to his family. The court set bail at N100,000 with two sureties.
September 10–14: Unable to immediately meet bail conditions, Al-Amin was remanded at the Agodi Custodial Centre for four days until his parents perfected his bail.
September 17: Three days after returning home, Al-Amin ingested rat poison. He passed away at the University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan.
Family alleges official harassment as police launch no formal inquiry
Al-Amin’s parents accused police officers at the Sanyo station, specifically the Divisional Crime Officer and the Investigating Police Officer, of refusing amicable settlement options and demanding N170,000 for bail and phone damages.
The family alleged officers exploited personal connections with the complainant to push for court remand despite the minor nature of the original dispute.
Retired Deputy Superintendent of Police Isiaka Ayole questioned the legality of the police response, calling for an independent probe by Inspector-General of Police Tunji Disu into why an N8,000 civil dispute was allowed to escalate into criminal prosecution and remand.
When contacted regarding the allegations, Oyo State Police Command Public Relations Officer Ayanlade Olayinka stated he was not aware of the incident.
