A 30-year-old student of a polytechnic in Kwara State, Al-Amin Mohammed, has died after allegedly ingesting rat poison, three days after his release from the Agodi Custodial Centre in Ibadan, Oyo State, where he had been remanded over a dispute involving an N8,000 debt.

Mohammed, an aluminium fixer who combined his work with his studies, was released on September 14 after his parents stood as sureties to perfect his bail.

His family said he became withdrawn and stopped eating after his release, repeatedly complaining about the humiliation he allegedly experienced during his detention and remand.

According to his mother, Simiat Mohammed, her son had borrowed N23,000 from a Point-of-Sale operator identified as Kazeem and had repaid N15,000, leaving a balance of N8,000.

She said a disagreement later occurred after Kazeem allegedly seized Mohammed’s phone over the outstanding debt.

The family alleged that Mohammed was detained overnight by a vigilante after a struggle over the phone and was subsequently handed over to officers at the Sanyo Divisional Police Station on September 9.

His mother further alleged that the family was asked to provide N100,000 for bail and N70,000 in relation to a damaged phone.

She claimed that despite appeals for an amicable settlement, the matter proceeded to court.

Mohammed was taken before a court in the Mapo area of Ibadan on September 10, where he was granted bail of N100,000 with two sureties in like sum.

Pending the perfection of the bail conditions, he was remanded at the Agodi Custodial Centre and was released on September 14 after his parents stood as sureties.

Three days later, on September 17, the family said Mohammed ingested rat poison at his residence in Ibadan.

His mother said he had earlier recorded a voice note expressing frustration and asking his siblings to take care of her.

His father, Habeeb Mohammed, said the family took him to several hospitals, with three allegedly unable to admit him before he was eventually taken to the University College Hospital, Ibadan, where he was pronounced dead.

A family friend and retired Deputy Superintendent of Police, Isiaka Ayole, called for an independent investigation into the circumstances surrounding Mohammed’s arrest, detention and prosecution.

Ayole questioned why the vigilante who allegedly detained Mohammed before handing him over to the police was not also investigated.

He urged the Inspector-General of Police, Tunji Disu, to investigate the officers involved and determine whether there was any abuse of power.

The complainant, Kazeem, however, gave a different account of the incident.

He said Mohammed owed money following a transaction involving his apprentice and later paid N15,000 out of an alleged N23,000 obligation, promising to settle the balance.

Kazeem said Mohammed subsequently returned to retrieve his phone and that a struggle occurred during which another phone used for his business was damaged.

He said the matter was referred to a vigilante group and subsequently to the Sanyo Police Station after efforts to resolve it failed.

According to Kazeem, his intention was to recover the money owed and have Mohammed take responsibility for the damaged phone, rather than pursue a prolonged legal dispute.

He said he was shocked to learn of Mohammed’s death and maintained that he never intended for the matter to escalate to the point where the student would be remanded in custody.

The family has appealed to President Bola Tinubu, the Inspector-General of Police and the Oyo State Government to investigate the circumstances surrounding Mohammed’s death and determine whether any police officer abused his authority.

The Oyo State Police Public Relations Officer, Ayanlade Olayinka, said he was not aware of the incident when contacted.

A subsequent message sent to him seeking his response had not been answered as of the time of the report.