The tragic killing of a 15-year-old schoolgirl by a nightguard on the eve of her father’s remembrance has sparked a row in a Lagos suburb, KUNLE AKINRINADE reports.
Tragedy struck in the Orile Agege area of Lagos around 8pm on Tuesday as a 15-year-old girl was killed by accidental discharge from a security guard.
Aminat, who until her tragic death lived with her mother at No 2 Bade Abiona Street, off Orile Agege Road, was running an errand for her mother when the pump action rifle of the unnamed guard allegedly discharged as he was trying to mount a motorcycle and the bullets killed Aminat instantly.
Distraught mother of the girl, Shadiat Usman, said: ”I sent my daughter, Aminat, to get some fufu staple for me only to be told that she slumped after she was shot.
”We were told that the gunman was a police officer who got drunk and shot Aminat. My daughter was taken to a private hospital where he was confirmed dead by doctors on duty.
”Please, don’t let me suffer in vain. My daughter was just admitted into SS1 in school. Tomorrow would make it one year since her father died, now I have lost her too.”
A witness who pleaded anonymity however disclosed that the unidentified gunman was a security guard attached to a beer distributor’s warehouse nearby, who got drunk and mishandled the firearm.
”When we checked the bullet, we discovered that it was not from a policeman but from a locally fabricated rifle belonging to a security man guarding a beer distribution store down the road. The pellets were all over the place.
”The woman who runs the beer joint where the security man visited and got drunk has opened up to the Baale (traditional ruler) of this community and she has since visited the police station handling the case.
“Aminat’s body has been evacuated to a public hospital in Yaba for autopsy by the police. We have moved his Bajaj motorcycle to the Elere Police Station after he fled the scene of the incident and abandoned his motorbike there.”
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He added: “At the palace of the traditional ruler, the operator of the beer joint denied knowing the residence of the security guard despite the fact that he had been her regular customer until he got drunk and killed Aminat.
“We know that we don’t have the influence to get justice for Aminat’s bereaved mother, hence, we are relying on the media to help highlight our plight to the authorities because Aminat’s mother is physically challenged and has difficulty walking around.”
A resident, Ajibola Ibrahim, said the Lagos State Commissioner of Police was contacted as soon as the incident occurred.
”We called the Police Commissioner and he asked us to make a video of the scene or incident and send to him, and we did.
“We tried to save Aminat’s life but she died by the time we took her from the private hospital to the Orile Agege General Hospital.
“All we want is justice on this matter because those who know the identity of the security man don’t want to reveal it.
“Yet, we don’t want the matter to be swept under the carpet just like that.”
The Baale (traditional ruler) of the community, Chief Funsho Itogbe, said: ”I was returning from an outing when I saw a crowd and policemen.
“On inquiry, I was told a policeman’s rifle accidentally discharged and killed a girl on the street.
”I was told that the man abandoned his motorcycle and I asked the operator of the bar where he allegedly visited and got drunk for the identity and whereabouts of the culprit but got no positive response.
“I told the people there that I would leave if no one could reveal the man’s identity.
”However, the bar operator later visited my palace and explained that the security man had barely alighted from his motorbike when his rifle accidentally discharged and killed the girl in question.
“He said that some people called the man Baba Blessing; and I know the man to be a night guard because he usually stays at a motorcycle park near the street.
”I called the Station Officer at the Elere Police Station, Agege, and I asked the woman to visit the police station to explain her side of the matter.
“However, the only thing that baffles me is that night guards don’t report for duty at the time the man came out during which the tragic incident happened.”
Contacted, the Public Relations Officer (PRO) of Lagos State Command, Mr. Benjamin Hundeyin, in a Whatsapp message sent to our correspondent, said the case had been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) for further investigation.
”The case has been transferred to SCID. Hunter association co-ordinators are still on the trail of the principal suspect who has been identified as a member of the association,” he said.