A 12-year-old student of Adam Yakubu Memorial High School, Aminat Alage, is currently struggling for her life after a teargas canister allegedly fired by a team of policemen attached to the Dopemu Division struck her in the left eye at Iloro in the Agege area of Lagos State.
The state House of Assembly has ordered an investigation into the incident that happened on Friday, February 9, around 2 pm.
Reports revealed that the police officers were called to the school following a fight between two factional groups. Upon arrival, the officers dispersed the students and allegedly fired teargas canisters into their midst.
One of the canisters, purportedly shot indiscriminately by the police, hit Alage in the face, causing damage to one of her eyes.
An eyewitness recounted that the junior class student was promptly taken to the hospital. The eyewitness, speaking anonymously due to the sensitive nature of the incident, stated, “Some Secondary School Students of Iloro Secondary School were fighting when some students reported the matter to the Alabode Police Station. The DPO then sent four officers to the school to calm the situation.”
“But when the policemen arrived, they began firing teargas at the students without restraint. Aminat was just about to enter the mosque adjacent to the school compound to observe the Friday Jumat prayer when she was hit by the canister in the eye. This occurred after school hours.”
The victim’s mother, Halimat, disclosed that her daughter’s colleagues rushed to her shop to inform her of the incident and accused the police officers of abandoning her child at the hospital.
She said, “When my daughter’s colleagues told me that the police shot a tear gas canister into her eye, I hurried to the hospital where she was taken. Upon arrival, I was informed that the police brought her there and immediately left. Later, we were referred to Lagos State Teaching Hospital where the doctors indicated the need for a series of surgeries, with the first one costing N850,000. We don’t have any money with us. The DPO later visited and gave us N50,000. I am helpless at the moment. My daughter is fighting for her life.”
A video sent to our correspondent depicted the victim writhing in pain while receiving medical care.
In response, the state Assembly urged the Commissioner for Health, Prof Akin Abayomi, and the ministry to provide necessary support to the young girl. This was stated in a release by Eromosele Ebhomele, the Chief Press Secretary to the Speaker of the House, Mudashiru Obasa.
Ebhomele highlighted that the issue was brought to the attention of the House by the chairman of the House Committee on Sports and Youth Development, Abiodun Orekoya, during a plenary session led by Deputy Speaker Mojisola Meranda.
Orekoya received the information from a human rights organization, mentioning that the incident occurred during a clash between two schools, which the police intervened in with tear gas.
“He said the student’s parents have been borrowing money to pay for her treatment and that she is currently admitted to the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital.
“Orekoya pleaded with the House to appeal to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu to assist the parents and aid in saving Amina’s life before the situation worsens,” the statement read.
The Deputy Speaker directed the Chairman of the House Committee on Education (Secondary) to summon the management of both schools involved in the clash and investigate the cause, with a report expected within one week.
The Police Public Relations Officer, Benjamin Hundeyin, could not be reached as calls to his mobile phone went unanswered. A text message sent to him had not been replied to at the time of filing this report.