A 12-year-old student of Adam Yakubu Memorial High School, Aminat Alage, is presently fighting for her life after reportedly being hit in the left eye by a teargas canister fired by a group of policemen from the Dopemu Division in the Iloro area of Agege, Lagos State.
The state House of Assembly has initiated an investigation into the incident, which occurred on Friday, February 9, around 2 pm.
According to reports, police officers were reportedly deployed to the school following a skirmish between two rival groups. Upon arrival, the officers allegedly discharged teargas canisters into the crowd of students while attempting to disperse them.
Regrettably, one of the canisters, fired indiscriminately by the police, struck Alage in the face, resulting in severe damage to one of her eyes.
An eyewitness described the distressing event, mentioning that the young student from the junior class was promptly taken to the hospital for urgent medical attention.
The eyewitness who spoke on condition of anonymity due to the sensitive nature of the incident said, “Some Secondary School Students of Iloro Secondary School were fighting within themselves when some of the students went to Alabode Police Station to report the matter and the DPO sent four officers to visit the school to calm the situation.
“But when the policemen got there, they started to shoot teargas at the students anyhow. Aminat was just about to enter the mosque situated next to the school compound to observe the Friday Jumat prayer when one of the canisters hit her in the eye. All these happened after school hours.”
Halimat, the victim’s mother, informed PUNCH Online that earlier today (Thursday), her daughter’s classmates hurried to her shop to relay the news of the incident.
Furthermore, she leveled an accusation against the police officers, alleging that they abandoned her child at the hospital where they had initially taken her.
She said, “When my daughter’s colleagues came to tell me that the police shot a tear gas canister into her eye, I rushed down to the hospital where she was taken. When I got there, I was told that the police brought her there and left immediately. We were later referred to Lagos State Teaching Hospital where the doctors told us that they would carry out a series of surgeries and the first one would cost 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.”
In a video provided to PUNCH, the victim was observed writhing in pain while receiving medical attention.
Responding to the situation, the state Assembly urged the Commissioner for Health, Prof Akin Abayomi, and the ministry to extend necessary support to the young girl. This directive was issued in a statement by Eromosele Ebhomele, the Chief Press Secretary to the Speaker of the House, Mudashiru Obasa, on Thursday.
Ebhomele highlighted that the matter was raised in the House by the chairman of the House Committee on Sports and Youth Development, Abiodun Orekoya, during a plenary session chaired by Deputy Speaker Mojisola Meranda.
Orekoya reported that he received the information from a human rights organization, indicating that the incident occurred amidst a clash between two schools, with police intervention involving the use of 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 call on Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu to offer support to the parents and help save Amina’s life before the situation worsens,” the statement read.
Furthermore, the Deputy Speaker instructed the Chairman of the House Committee on Education (Secondary) to summon the administrations of the two schools implicated in the altercation and inquire into the circumstances that precipitated the conflict. They were given a deadline of one week to provide a report on their findings.
Efforts to reach the Police Public Relations Officer, Benjamin Hundeyin, were unsuccessful as calls to his mobile phone went unanswered. Additionally, a text message sent to him remained unanswered at the time of filing this report.