Yoruba Nation: Killing Of Teenager Reckless, Premeditated – Femi Falana

Femi Falana (SAN) has condemned the killing of a 14-year-old hawker by bullets reportedly fired by a security agent dispersing Yoruba Nation demonstrators in the Ojota area of Lagos.

Speaking to The PUNCH on Sunday, the human rights lawyer describing the killing as reckless and premeditated.

He called on the Lagos State Government to conduct a coroner’s inquest into the girl’s murder.

According to the popular lawyer, the police violated Section 83 (4) of the Police Establishment Act 2020 which borders on the provision of adequate security by the security agency for citizens on peaceful rallies and protests.

Falana said, “The police violated Section 83 (4) of the Police Establishment Act 2020 which has imposed a legal obligation on the police to provide adequate security for citizens who embark on peaceful rallies and protests. Since the police had illegally dispersed the peaceful rally with cannisters of teargas, the shooting of the 14-year-old trader by the police was premeditated murder.

“The denial of the cold murder of the trader by the police is a diversionary ploy to shield the actual culprit from prosecution. In view of the hasty denial of the police in the dastardly act, we call on the Lagos State Government to ensure that a coroner’s inquest is conducted into the reckless killing of the teenager.”

Naija News reports that the Lagos State Command of the Nigeria Police Force had denied responsibility for the death of a 14-year-old female hawker.

The Police in a reaction after the news of the girl’s death went viral said its operatives present at the scene of the planned rally didn’t fire any live bullet.

According to the police, the corpse has been discovered not to be fresh after investigations.

The police added that the girl might have died from wounds sustained from a sharp object injury.

The command noted that those blaming the police for the death of the girl are only trying to create confusion in the mind of Lagosians and Nigerians as a whole.