The Lagos State Police Command has denied any involvement in the killing of 14-year-old girl allegedly killed by stray bullet during the Yoruba Nation rally held today at Ojota area of the state, saying they never fired any gunshot at the protesters.
According to the Police Public Relations Officer, Olumiya Adejobi, “The Command did not fire a single live bullet at Ojota rally today. The said corpse was found wrapped and abandoned at a distance, far from Ojota venue of the rally, behind MRS Filling Station, inward Maryland, on the other side of the venue, with dried blood stains suggesting that the corpse is not fresh.
“After a close look at the corpse, a wound suspectedly sustained from a sharp object was seen on it.”
The claim by the police is in contradiction to what eye witness accounts at the rally said. Witnesses maintained that the deceased was hit by a stray bullet, after police officers began firing into the air to disperse the crowd at the rally.
“She was hit at the back and it (bullet) came out of her tummy, inside the compound. We brought her corpse out,” a witness had said.
There was no record of any other person or groups, except the police, firing shots at the scene.
But the police insisted that the reports linking its officers to the killing are “false and mischievous,” urging the public to go about their lawful duties, promising to begin investigation into the death of the girl immediately.
“The Command therefore urges the general public to disregard the news and go about their lawful normal daily activities while investigation to unravel the incident will commence immediately.
“The Commissioner of Police, Lagos State, CP Hakeem Odumosu, therefore commiserates with the family of the found deceased and assures that thorough investigation will be carried out.”
