Stray police bullet kills 53-yr-old widow in Lagos

A stray bullet from a policeman’s weapon ended the life of a 53-year-old widow and mother of two, Mrs. Kudirat Adebaya, Tuesday, at Railway Crossing, Mushin, Lagos. Late Mrs Adebayo (inset) and her business stand. Eyewitnesses said that the incident occurred around 5p.m. after six policemen, attached to Olosan Division, who were chasing a suspected internet fraudster, popularly called Yahoo Boys, fired a shot, which hit the woman, who sold yam cake (Ojojo) and Agidi. On realising what had happened, two of the policemen, identified simply as Charles and Prince, reportedly fired into the air to scare away a mob, which had gathered to demand justice over the death of Mrs. Adebayo. In the stampede that followed, some people sustained injuries. When Vanguard visited the scene of the incident, the deceased’s goods were still on display in a pool of her blood, as people gathered in clusters, mourning. Mrs. Adebayo, an indigene of Ogun State, was said to have lost her husband several years ago and had been taking care of their two sons since. Before her death, she was living at Juna-du Street, Onipanu. Sister narrates incident Younger sister to the deceased, Nike Fatai, who narrated the incident to Vanguard, said: “All that the family wanted is justice for their late sister. “Some police officers arrested a man, but one white garment cleric intervened. I do not know what transpired, as the officers started shooting. “This is not the first time they are doing this thing. They killed one Hausa man here last year as well, but his people did not do anything about it. They just buried him immediately. All we want is justice for our sister.” Another resident, Mr. Tunde Bajomo, told Vanguard: “These police officers come here regularly to chase Yahoo Boys and also extort money from motorcycle riders (Okada).” Bajomo also revealed that one motorcyclist, who went to complain to one of the police operatives that they had killed somebody, was shot in the leg. He quoted the operative to have said “Who are you? Who are you talking to like that? Don’t you know who I am? Don’t you see what I am carrying?” According to him, it was in the process that the operative allegedly shot the okadaman. He was said to have been rushed to Continental Hospital, where he was treated and thereafter discharged. When Vanguard visited the hospital, a fair-complexioned nurse, who attended to Vanguard under condition of anonymity, denied knowledge of any such case in their hospital.