Police Shoot Teenage Admission Seeker Dead In Lagos

A teenager identified as Monsura Ojuade has been shot dead by an officer of the Nigerian Police Force.

The deceased was just 18-year-old and is said to have filled Mass Communication and Accounting as her first and second choices respectively in her 2021/2022 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examinations form.

Reports reaching Naija News revealed Ojuade was killed by a sergeant attached to the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department, Yaba, Lagos State.

A team of anti-robbery officers from the SCIID reportedly stormed Mogaji Street, Ijesha, Surulere in the evening of Friday, September 10.

Narrating the incident in an interview with newsmen, a community leader, Onikeku Adedayo, said one of the cops approached him and demanded what he was doing outside at a late hour of the night.

“I told him that I was in front of my house and I am a community leader. He said it was too late and I should go inside,” he said.

The community said himself and a few others around immediately left.

“Not less than three minutes later, I heard a gunshot. I heard the sister scream that she had been shot. The policemen fled the scene immediately,” he added.

Meanwhile, Ojuade was in front of her parents’ house when the anti-robbery team arrived in the community. She reportedly ran inside the house when she noticed the commotion outside, but one of the policemen shot her.

According to Adedayo, Ojuade was hit by a bullet that penetrated her two thighs, adding that she was immediately drenched in blood.

Naija News learnt the victim was immediately rushed to a private hospital in the community, where she was rejected.

She was again taken to the Randle General Hospital, where she was given first aid.

However, at this time, Ojuade had already collapsed and could not talk.

The hospital placed her on oxygen and tried to stop the bleeding. They said they could not continue the treatment because her bones had been shattered by the bullet and she needed orthopaedic treatment.

“We were referred to either Igbobi Orthopaedic Hospital or Gbagada General Hospital. When we got to Igbobi, she was almost gone and we decided to take her to a private hospital, where she was confirmed dead. Although she was confirmed dead around 1.30 am on Saturday, I believe that she died within 30 minutes of the shooting,” Adedayo added.

Also confirming the occurrence, a resident who gave his name as Ismail Oguntoyinbo, said the policemen from the SCIID made an entry of their presence in the community at the Ijesha Police Station.

He said after leaving sorrow, tears and blood in their trail, they did not book their exit from the area.

“The Ijesha DPO said the policemen came to his station to report that they wanted to investigate some people they arrested and he gave them the go-ahead, but he never knew they came to raid. The DPO refused to disclose their identities,” he added.

The young girl killed is said to be the third of three female children of her family. She had scored 236 in the UTME and was awaiting admission when her life was cut short by the SCIID men.

“Her mother fainted more than five times on Saturday after getting the news that she was dead. We were processing her admission when she was killed,” Oguntoyinbo said.

The victims’ parents were too distraught to speak to newsmen at the time this report was given.

However, Ojuade’s remains have been deposited in the Military Hospital morgue, Yaba, Naija News learnt.

During an interaction with the Punch, the deceased sister, Tosin said the family would take legal actions against the police. While demanding justice for her, she described the deceased as honest, respectful, loyal and industrious.

Three cops who were reportedly involved in the raid have been arrested and detained at the SCIID. The officer identified the cop who fired the shot as Sergeant Samuel Philips.

Reacting to the incident in a statement, the state Police Public Relations Officer, Adekunle Ajisebutu, said the cops were in the community to arrest a robbery suspect.

He noted that the policeman who pulled the trigger had been detained.

“The Commissioner of Police has directed that the said police officer should be tried and charged to court immediately after being dismissed from the Force. This, it is believed, will serve as a deterrent to others who do not act professionally in the course of their duties,” he added.