The Lagos State Government has constituted a panel of inquiry to investigate the death of a 14-year-old girl, who was allegedly killed during the Oodua Republic Mega Rally in the state on Saturday.
This was announced in a statement issued by Moyosore Onigbanjo (SAN), the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Lagos State, on Sunday.
According to Onigbanjo, the state government is mandated under section 14(1) (d) of the Coroners’ System Law of the state to set an inquest when a death has been reported during such circumstances to ascertain its cause.
“A report of death shall be made to any of the agencies for the report of death or the office of the Coroner and be subject to post-mortem examination where there is reasonable cause to believe that the cause of death was: violent, unnatural or suspicious.
“Section 15(1) and (9) further enjoins the Coroner to hold an inquest whenever he or she is informed that the death of the deceased person was in a violent, unnatural or suspicious situation or believes an inquest is desirable following the report of a reportable death.
“The Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu has ordered a thorough investigation of the death. A Coroner’s Inquest has immediately been requested in line with section 14 and 15 of the Coroners’ Systems Law, Laws of Lagos State 2015, to determine the cause and circumstances of death,” the statement read.
The state Attorney-General also stated that the government commiserates with the family of the deceased.
“As a government, the security and wellbeing of citizens are of utmost importance to us. The State assures the public that everything will be done to ensure that the cause of death is known. The findings of this investigation will be made public in due course and appropriate sanctions meted out to anyone found culpable,” he added.
It was widely reported that police operatives had shot into the air to disperse the attendees of the rally, with a bullet said to have hit the teenager which led to her death.
But the Lagos Police Command debunked the reports in a statement on Saturday, insisting that its operatives did not fire a single bullet at the venue of the rally,
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