Lagos govt to probe death of 14-year-old sales apprentice at Yoruba nation rally

Lagos State Governor, Babjide Sanwo-Olu, has ordered an immediate and thorough investigation into the death of a teenage girl allegedly killed by a stray bullet during the Yoruba nation rally in Ojota area of the state.

The girl simply identified as Jumoke Monsurat Oyeleke was allegedly killed by a stray bullet when policemen deployed to Ikorodu Road and other strategic areas in the state fired gunshots to disperse the crowd that gathered at Gani Fawehinmi’s Freedom Park, Ojota, Lagos, venue of the rally.

Until her death, the girl was a sales apprentice at an ice cream shop along the Ikorodu Road in Lagos.

The state’s Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Moyosore Onigbanjo, who disclosed this in a statement on Sunday, said 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 the girl’s death.

The statement read: “Our 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.

READ ALSO: Lady shot dead as Yoruba nation agitators defy heavy police presence in Lagos (photos)

“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.

“As a government, the security and wellbeing of citizens are of utmost importance to us. The state assures the public that everything will be done to ensure that the cause of death is known. The findings of this investigation will be made public in due course and appropriate sanctions meted out to anyone found culpable.”

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