A Police officer whose firearm allegedly killed a little girl and injured another during a security operation in the Nosamu area of Ajegunle, Lagos, has been disarmed and detained by the Lagos State Police Command.
The victim, identified as Omole Taiwo, died after being struck by a bullet allegedly discharged by ASP Omotayo Olajide during an operation on Thursday, November 5, 2026.
Another girl, who was also hit by the bullet, survived and is receiving medical treatment.
The incident reportedly occurred between 9:30 p.m. and 10:00 p.m., following a violent confrontation between two rival groups, identified as the Nosamu Boys and the Alayabiagba Boys, over the collection of tolls in the community.
According to preliminary findings released by the Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Abimbola Adebisi, on Saturday, the police personnel had been deployed to the area following a distress call reporting the clash.
The rival groups were allegedly armed with cutlasses and other dangerous weapons, prompting police intervention.
However, during the operation, ASP Olajide reportedly discharged his firearm, and the bullet struck the two young girls.
Both victims were immediately rushed to Ajeromi General Hospital for medical attention.
While one of the girls was subsequently transferred to the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, LASUTH, Ikeja, she later succumbed to her injuries.
The second girl survived the shooting and is currently receiving treatment in stable condition.
Confirming the incident, the Lagos State Police Command expressed sadness over the death of the young girl, describing the loss of an innocent life as deeply distressing.
The Command disclosed that ASP Olajide had been disarmed and detained, while the investigation had been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department, SCID, for a thorough and impartial inquiry.
In a move to reassure the bereaved family of the police commitment to accountability, the Commissioner of Police, CP Tijani Fatai, personally visited the family to offer his condolences.
During the visit, CP. Fatai assured the family that justice would be pursued and that no police personnel found culpable would be protected from accountability.
He reiterated that the Command takes the protection of human life seriously and would ensure that the investigation was conducted with professionalism, transparency and accountability.
Meanwhile, the police have appealed to members of the public who may have useful information about the incident to report to the nearest police station or the Command’s Public Relations Department to assist investigators.
The Command also extended its condolences to the family of the deceased, while promising to keep the public informed about developments in the investigation.
