Yoruba Nation Rally:  Police deny killing teenage girl; Investigate, arrest, prosecute killer – Lawyer demands

Additional report by Moses Omorogieva (NAN)

Lagos, July 3, 2021

A Lagos-based human rights lawyer, Adeola Austin Oyinlade, has condemned as unwarranted and avoidable, the alleged killing of a 14 year old girl by Police stray bullet during the Yoruba Nation Mega Rally in Lagos on Saturday, July 3, 2021.

Oyinlade, who is also the President, Constitutional Rights Awareness and Liberty Initiative, insisted, in a statement that the innocent girl deserves justice and called on “the leadership of the Nigerian Police, Lagos State Command to immediately commence investigation on this matter, fish out and prosecute the killer.”

This is, however, as the Lagos Police Command has denied responsibility for the death of the girl, simply identified as Jumoke, stressing that their operatives “did not fire a single live bullet at Ojota rally today”.

Public Relations Officer (PPRO) of the Lagos Police Command, CSP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, in a statement said that: “The attention of the Lagos State Police Command has been drawn to a news making the rounds that a 14-year-old girl was hit and killed by police bullet today, July 3, at the venue of the Oodua Republic Mega Rally in Ojota, Lagos.

“The command hereby wishes to debunk the rumour and state categorically that it is a calculated attempt to create confusion and fears in the minds of the good people of Lagos State and the country at large.

“The command did not fire a single live bullet at Ojota rally today.

But an eye witness told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that the body of the girl was found in front of No. 428, Ikorodu Road, close to Ojota Motor Park.

A woman, Miss Tosin Oyemade, who claimed that the deceased was her salesgirl, said that she had sent her to go and open her shop while she (Oyemade) went to church for an event.

“I asked her this morning to go and open the shop while I went to church for an event, planning to join her later.

“My cousin called me while in church that the Police had killed Jumoke. I quickly rushed down only to see her dead body in the pool of her blood.

“I was told that  while the Police were shooting, that people started running toward the compound (No. 428, Ikorodu Road) where Jumoke fell down bleeding,’’ she said.

Another eye witness, one Mr. Julius Onaguruwa, told NAN that he was among those running into the compound when the girl fell and started bleeding from the chest.

Further commenting on the incident, the Police spokesman, CSP Adejobi, said  “The said corpse was found wrapped and abandoned at a distance, far from the 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.’’

NAN reports that Oodua Republic agitators came individually to the front of Gani Fawehinmi Park, the scheduled venue for the rally, moving around with no sign on them as protesters.

While the Commissioner of Police in Lagos, Mr. Hakeem Odumosu, was briefing journalists at the venue, the agitators began to bring out fliers, banners and put on T-Shirts with Sunday Igboho’s picture printed on them.

The CP, however, appealed to them to be civil, warning, that the group did not notify the Police of their planned protest and that, therefore, the rally could not hold.

NAN further observed that while they were becoming stronger and chanting the Oodua Republic songs, the Police started using water canon and teargas to disperse the gathering crowd, including journalists.

The agitators, comprising men and women, ran towards Ikorodu axis for safety.

Meanwhile, unconfirmed sources close to the Police said that five persons who were arrested at the venue were taken away in a vehicle belonging to the Rapid Response Squad (RRS).

Full text of Adeola Oyinlade’s statement reads:

 Yoruba Nation: The killing of a 14 year old drink seller by stray bullet in Lagos is unwarranted. Police should investigate, fish out and prosecute the killer

The killing of a 14 year old drink seller by stray bullet at Ojota, Lagos state as widely reported today during Yoruba Nation rally is sad, unwarranted and avoidable. The killing of this innocent girl in a shop put serious questions on the strategy, policy, planning and tactics of our police system in dispersing unarmed crowds by firing live bullets or killing citizens they are constitutionally empowered to protect.

It is important to state that at this critical period in the life of our dear country, adherence to human rights and international standards is what the police need to gain the trust of the society while carrying out their duties lawfully. One should know that when live ammunition is used on protesters, there would be casualty. I do not see a justification or proportionality of firing live bullets in this case which has now resulted in the death of an innocent girl who did not commit any crime.

The plethora of laws in force in Nigeria do not empower the Nigerian police to abuse firearms or kill any person at will. The constitution is emphatically clear that no person shall be deprived of his or her life except in execution of the sentence of a court in respect of a criminal offence of which the person has been found guilty. With a number of avoidable deaths recorded while quelling protests over the years in Nigeria, the police should immediately embrace human rights based approach to policing and ensure that the Nigerian Police actions are in accordance with the fundamental principles for the development of a fair and just society.

The innocent girl killed today deserves justice. Her parents and family members have been put in an unexpected state of mourning. I call on the leadership of the Nigerian Police, Lagos State Command to immediately commence investigation on this matter, fish out and prosecute the killer.

Signed

Adeola Oyinlade, Esq

Nigerian human rights lawyer

2018 International Bar Association (IBA) Human Rights Lawyer of the Year.