Stray Bullet Kills 16-yr-old Boy Just As Police Tries To Rescue Kidnapper From Mob (See Photo)

It was a sad day as there was pandemonium at Ijora Badia axis of Lagos State over the weekend after bullets shot by Police hit a Senior Secondary School 2 student of Randle School, Apapa, Lagos.

The police were reported to have made an attempt to rescue a kidnapper that was being mobbed in the area when the sad incident occurred.

According to Vanguard, the area was thrown into commotion, following an alarm raised by some residents over attempt by a woman to kidnap a five-year-old girl at Giwa Street.

The suspect was beaten to a pulp and was at the verge of being set ablaze when a team of policemen rescued her.

However, some aggrieved youths were said to have stormed the station hauling stones and other dangerous objects at the policemen, demanding that the woman be handed over to them. In the process, the policemen were said to have dispersed the rampaging youths with tears gas canisters and also fired some shots.

A resident, who simply gave his name as Timothy, said:

“The policemen chased the youths to Fadaini Road, inward Badia, shooting sporadically. In the process, a bullet hit a boy named Emmanuel, who resided at 7 Fadaini Street.”

The mother of the dead 16-year-old boy, Mrs Ijeoma Chukwu, said that late Emmanuel was roused from sleep by the uproar. She added that he went out to have a glimpse of the kidnapper, when he was hit by the bullet.

She, however, lamented that since the incident, no policeman had paid the family a visit or invited any member of her family over to explain what happened.

‘They threatened to shoot me, too’ Speaking in tears, the Ebonyi State-born woman said:

“I left my children in the room to fetch water to cook and bath before going to church. When I came back, I was told that Emmanuel woke up on hearing the uproar outside.

“While he went to have a glimpse of the kidnapper, his brother stayed in front of the building. The next thing I heard was shouting from a young man that Emmanuel had been shot dead.

“I ran out like a mad woman to the station and demanded to see my son. But I was ordered to leave there or have same fate befall me.

I have been there thrice, but was not allowed to at least see my son’s body. “The incident happened since Sunday.

Yet, no policeman has visited to explain what happened to my son. His body is still with them. My husband is on his way back from a burial ceremony.”

However, when the Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, Chike Oti, was contacted, he stated that he was not aware of the incident.

– Vanguard