Juliana Francis
The Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Fayode Adegoke has been urged to look into the case of a 12-year-old girl Aminate Alege, who was allegedly hit in the eye by canisters of tear gas fired by a policeman attached to the Dopemu Police Station.
According to Comrade Seyi A of Metro Unit, Ikeja, CDHR, the incident happened on the 9th of February 2024.
Seyi, who stressed that the child needed urgent intervention to save her eye, described the case as a human rights abuse by men of the Nigeria Police, Alabode Police Station, headed by the Divisional Police Officer (DPO), Akeem.
He also stated that the child was a victim of police recklessness.
He wrote: “We are calling for the support of CDHR to come to the rescue of the parents of Aminat Alege, a student at Junior Secondary School (JSS3), Adam Yakubu Memorial High School, Iloro, Cement, Agege Lagos.
“Eyewitness reports said that she was shot while entering the mosque situated next to the school compound after school hours to join her parents to observe the Jumat Friday Prayer last week Friday 9th, February 2024.
“It was reported that some students of Iloro were fighting among themselves, some of the students went to the nearby Alabode Police Station to report the matter and police officers were deployed by the DPO, Mr Akeem.
“The DPO, Mr Akem deployed four officers to visit the school. On getting to the school gate, the policemen started firing canisters of teargas indiscriminately, which hit the 12-year-old girl in the eye and badly damaged her left eye, with heavy bleeding.
“She was rushed to the Ilepo General Hospital, where she was rejected and then referred to Lagos State Teaching Hospital, Ikeja, where N2,000,000 has been requested as the fee for immediate surgery to be carried out on her right eye.
“The eye is badly damaged and at Ikeja General Police, N2m is requested to carry out an emergency surgery. But up till now, the DPO and his men had dropped only N50,000.
“The police at Alabode, DPO Akeem and his men dropped a ridiculous N50,000, while N2m is required for the surgery. We are calling on CDHR and CSO, Lagosians, Nigerians, and bloggers to come to the aid of the poor parents.
“We need your support to fight for her life by compelling the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, DPO Akeem to take full responsibility and save the life of the 12-year-old little schoolgirl.
“The family cannot afford to raise N2m and both father and mother are traumatised. The police must take responsibility for bad behaviour and accidents within its operation. The parents can be reached on 0915 102 2029.”
