The Lagos State Police Command has denied allegations that a police patrol vehicle was responsible for the death of a six-year-old girl in the Iyana-Ipaja area of the state on Tuesday.
The child’s father, Nnamdi Ugorji, accused officers from the Moshalashi Police Station of hitting his daughter with their vehicle while chasing a suspect near the Ecobank roundabout.
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He also alleged that the police attempted to cover up the incident by claiming the vehicle had flipped over.
However, in a statement on Wednesday, the command’s spokesperson, Benjamin Hundeyin, expressed condolences to the bereaved family but refuted claims that a police van was involved in the tragedy.
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According to Mr Hundeyin, who is a Chief Superintendent of Police (CPS), preliminary investigations indicated that the girl was struck by a commercial bus whose driver panicked upon sighting an approaching police van and sped off recklessly.
“We sympathise with the family of the deceased. However, preliminary investigations have shown that the girl was hit by a commercial bus whose driver panicked and recklessly sped off at the sight of an approaching police van.
“The driver is in custody, and the investigation is ongoing,” Mr Hundeyin stated on his personal X handle.
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Father demands justice
Speaking with Sahara Reporters on Wednesday, Mr Ugorji insisted that police officers were responsible for his daughter’s death.
“The police were chasing someone, and in the process, they hit my daughter with their vehicle,” he said, struggling to hold back tears.
He lamented the financial burden of transporting her body to their hometown in Abia State for burial and called on President Bola Tinubu, the Minister of Women Affairs, and the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, to ensure justice.
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“I am a poor man. Where will I get the money to take her to the village for burial? It is very unfortunate that those who are supposed to protect us are the ones killing us,” he said.
“I am calling on all well-meaning Nigerians to come to my aid. I want justice for my daughter,” he added. `
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