The Lagos State Police Command has detained an Assistant Superintendent of Police, Omotayo Olajide, after his firearm was discharged during an operation in Ajegunle, killing a girl and injuring another.
Police said the incident occurred between 9.30pm and 10pm on Thursday, November 5, in the Nosamu area of Ajegunle, where officers had responded to a violent clash between two rival groups involved in a dispute over toll collection.
The groups, identified as Nosamu Boys and Alayabiagba Boys, were reportedly armed with cutlasses and other dangerous weapons when the police received a distress call and deployed personnel to the area.
According to a statement issued on Saturday by the command’s Police Public Relations Officer, SP Abimbola Adebisi, Olajide discharged his firearm during the operation, with the bullet striking two girls.
Both victims were taken to Ajeromi General Hospital for treatment.
One of them, identified as Omole Taiwo, was later transferred to the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH), Ikeja, where she died.
The second girl remains in hospital and is reportedly in stable condition.
Following the incident, the police said Olajide was disarmed and detained, while the case was transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department for further investigation.
“The inquiry will establish exactly what happened and determine the appropriate legal and disciplinary action,” the command said.
Commissioner of Police, Tijani Fatai, also visited the deceased girl’s family to express condolences over the loss.
Fatai assured the family that the investigation would be thorough, promising that any police officer found culpable would not be protected from appropriate sanctions.
