July 05, (THEWILL) – Lagos State’s Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has ordered an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the death of a 14-year-old girl, allegedly hit by a stray police bullet during the ‘Yoruba Nation’ Mega rally at Ojota on Saturday.
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 reads: “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. A Coroner’s Inquest has immediately been requested in line with sections 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.”
Onigbanjo stressed that the Lagos government prioritises the security and wellbeing of citizens.
The statement assured that everything would be done to ensure that the cause of death is known.
“As a government, the security and well-being 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”, the statement added.
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