Police officer's stray bullet kills girl, injures another during Ajegunle clash

• Police detained ASP Omotayo Olajide after his firearm allegedly killed Omole Taiwo and injured another girl during an operation in Ajegunle.

• Officers were responding to a violent clash between the Nosamu Boys and Alayabiagba Boys over toll collection.

• The injured girl is receiving treatment, while the case has been transferred to the State CID for investigation.

• The incident has revived memories of a similar fatal police shooting in Ajegunle in 2019, raising fresh concerns over police use of firearms.

"Another day, another police 'mistake'?" That is the question many Nigerians are asking after a police operation in Lagos ended in tragedy, leaving one young girl dead and another fighting to recover.

The Lagos State Police Command has detained an Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP), Omotayo Olajide, after his firearm allegedly discharged during an operation in Ajegunle, killing a girl and injuring another.

The incident happened on Thursday, November 5, between 9:30 p.m. and 10:00 p.m. in the Nosamu area of Ajegunle, Ajeromi-Ifelodun Local Government Area.

According to the police, officers had responded to a distress call over a violent clash between two rival groups known as the Nosamu Boys and the Alayabiagba Boys. The groups were reportedly fighting over toll collection and were said to be armed with cutlasses and other dangerous weapons.

In a statement released on Saturday by the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Abimbola Adebisi, the command said the officer discharged his firearm during the operation and the bullet hit two girls who were caught in the area.

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"Preliminary findings show that the personnel had been deployed after a distress call about a violent clash between two rival groups, the Nosamu Boys and the Alayabiagba Boys, over toll collection. The groups were reportedly armed with cutlasses and other dangerous weapons.

"During the operation, ASP Olajide discharged his firearm, and the bullet struck the two girls. Both girls were rushed to Ajeromi General Hospital. One was later transferred to the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH), Ikeja, where she gave up. The other child is receiving medical attention and is in stable condition."

The deceased was identified as Omole Taiwo, while the second victim is still receiving treatment and is said to be in stable condition.

Following the incident, the police said ASP Olajide has been disarmed and taken into custody. The case has also been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Yaba, for a full investigation.

According to the command:

"The inquiry will establish exactly what happened and determine the appropriate legal and disciplinary action."

Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Tijani Fatai, has since visited the family of the deceased to sympathise with them. He assured them that the investigation would be transparent and that any officer found responsible would face the law.

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The police also promised that no one would be protected if found culpable.

However, several questions remain unanswered. The police statement did not clearly explain whether the officer intentionally fired at the suspected hoodlums, whether the girls were accidentally caught in the crossfire, or if the gun went off unintentionally.

Sadly, this is not the first time Ajegunle has witnessed a tragedy involving police gunfire.

In April 2019, a similar incident claimed the life of 20-year-old Ada Ifeanyi, while another resident, Emmanuel Akomafuwa, was injured. After investigations, Inspector Dania Ojo was declared wanted and later dismissed from the Nigeria Police Force for unlawfully using his firearm. Five other officers were also arrested over the incident.

The latest shooting has once again renewed concerns about the use of firearms during police operations and the safety of innocent residents who often find themselves caught in violent confrontations they have nothing to do with.