Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has ordered investigation into the killing of a 14-year-old girl in Ojota during a rally by Yoruba Nation agitators, The Nation learnt Sunday night.
Some witnesses claimed the girl, identified as Jumoke, was felled by a stray bullet fired as police battled to disperse the protesters. He body was not far from the scene of the rally.
But the police denied the allegations that their men fired the shot, insisting that they used only rubber bullets.
Besides, the police said the body was not fresh and that it appeared to have a wound sustained from a sharp object.
In a statement on Sunday, Lagos State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Moyosore Onigbanjo said “government’s attention has been drawn to the death of a 14-year-old girl in Ojota during the Oodua Republic Mega Rally on Saturday, 3rd of July, 2021.
“We commiserate with the family of the deceased. The Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has ordered a thorough investigation of the death. A Coroner’s Inquest has immediately been requested, in line with section 14 and 15 of the Coroners’ Systems Law, Laws of Lagos State 2015, to determine the cause and circumstances of death.
“By Section 14 (1)(d) of the Coroners’ System Law of the State: “A report of death shall be made to any of the agencies for the report of death or the office of the Coroner and be subject to post-mortem examination where there is reasonable cause to believe that the cause of death was: violent, unnatural or suspicious.”
“Section 15(1) and (9) further enjoins the Coroner to hold an inquest whenever he or she is informed that the death of the deceased person was in a violent, unnatural or suspicious situation or believes an inquest is desirable following the report of a reportable death.”
