Man drowns after alleged cultists chase in Lagos river

A man known as Opeyemi has drowned after he jumped into a river while being chased by suspected cultists in the Agility area of Mile 12, Lagos State.

A police source told PUNCH Metro on Sunday that the incident happened on Saturday, September 12.

The source said Opeyemi was going to buy something when some people started chasing him.

According to the source, the men caught up with him and attacked him before he jumped into the river to escape.

A resident shared, “We heard that he was being chased by some people suspected to be cultists who caught him and attacked him before he jumped into the river.

“Some people tried to help him, but those chasing him stopped them from doing so.”

It was reported that Opeyemi then drowned.

However, an anti-cultism advocacy group, Naija Confra, shared a different story about the incident in a post seen by PUNCH Metro on Sunday.

The group said some residents claimed Opeyemi was under the influence of a substance and jumped into the river by himself. Others who said they saw what happened claimed he was chased and attacked.

The post read, “While a few residents said that Opeyemi was high on a substance and jumped into the river, others disagreed.

“Others who said they witnessed the event stated that Opeyemi was on his way to buy drugs when some people chased him, caught him, and attacked him before he jumped into the river. They claimed that even when people tried to save him, the attackers stopped them from helping him.

“Opeyemi was described as very nice, good, and hardworking.”

As of now, the details around the incident are still unclear. The different accounts have not been verified.

When contacted for a comment on Sunday, the state Police Public Relations Officer, Abimbola Adebisi, said she would get back to us.

She had not responded by the time this report was filed.