An armed robbery suspect, Ismaila Ayinla, has died in the custody of policemen attached to the Amukoko Division of the Lagos State Police Command.

PUNCH Metro gathered that Ayinla, a father of two, alongside other fleeing suspects, stormed the Ladipo Market, Amukoko, and robbed business owners of their property.

The operation was said to be ongoing when Ayinla and his gang members allegedly shot one of the security men guarding the market.

It was learnt that the nearest police station was alerted and policemen detailed to the crime scene, engaged the armed robbers and arrested Ayinla during the operation on August 26, 2022.

Other members of the gang were said to have escaped as the state police command launched a manhunt for their arrest

However, following Ayinla’s arrest, he was detained at the Amukoko Division as investigation into the robbery case was ongoing.

In a bid to ascertain the steps taken by the market association regarding the incident, our correspondents visited the leader of the Ladipo Pako Market, Tajudeen Aiyelabowo, but he and his executives declined to comment.

Aiyelabowo, however, directed our correspondents to the police station and said nothing was stolen from the market.

However, two days after Ayinla’s arrest, our correspondents gathered that the father of two, who was detained in a police cell at Amukoko Division, started behaving strangely.

As his health condition worsened, it was learnt that policemen brought him out of the cell and rushed him to the Success Hospital, Pako bus stop, Amukoko, where he died.

When our correspondents visited the Amukoko Police Station regarding the events that led to Ayinla’s death, policemen including one Supol Sunday Ogedengbe said there was no such case.

But during a visit to the hospital where Ayinla was rushed to for treatment, a doctor, Olamilekan Akingbola, said he died shortly after he was brought to the hospital.

Akingbola said Ayinla’s medical history could not be ascertained, adding that he learnt that the deceased was caught during a robbery operation.

He said, “I learnt that there was a robbery operation and the deceased who was caught and handed over to the police. There is a gunshot victim of the robbery that has been coming for treatment here, he was shot in the leg and I removed 28 pallets from his leg.”

While in the hospital, our correspondents met the gunshot victim, Taofiq Bolaji, 41, who alleged that Ayinla and his gang members allegedly shot him during the operation.

He said, “I was shot in my left leg despite hiding on top of a roof beside Fidelity Bank when the armed robbers came to rob Ladipo Market. I don’t know how they sighted me on top of the roof and shot me.

“I have been coming to the hospital every day to treat the gunshot I sustained during the incident. I don’t know when the wound will heal.

“The market association contributed to paying my hospital bills. Fortunately, the bullet didn’t affect any of my bones.”

Contacted, the state Police Public Relations Officer, SP Benjamin Hundeyin, who confirmed the incident in a text message, said Ayinla fell ill and was taken to the hospital where he died.

He said, “I just got confirmation of the incident. He fell ill and was taken to the hospital. He died at the hospital.” (The PUNCH: Text, excluding headline)

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