A naming ceremony in Orile Iganmu, Lagos, has turned into a serious police accountability controversy after an 11-year-old girl and an elderly man were reportedly injured by gunfire during an incident involving police officers.
The incident allegedly happened on the night of September 23, 2026, around Ekunjinmi/Wewe Street.
According to the Movement for the Transformation of Nigeria, Apapa Coordinating Structure, known as MOTION Apapa, the two residents were shot after police officers arrived at the gathering
and attempted to stop the event.The organisation is now demanding an immediate and independent investigation.
How the incident reportedly unfolded
MOTION Apapa said police officers arrived at the naming ceremony at about 8pm and attempted to stop the gathering, including the activities of the DJ.
The organisation said residents resisted because they believed there was no apparent justification for stopping the event.
According to the account cited by the group, firearms were subsequently discharged.
Two residents were reportedly injured.
The circumstances surrounding the shooting remain a matter requiring investigation.
11-year-old girl among victims
The most disturbing part of the reported incident is the involvement of an 11-year-old child.
MOTION Apapa identified her as Mistura Murtala.
The group said she was shot in the leg and taken to Olukayode Hospital in Orile Iganmu for emergency treatment.
It said it had spoken with members of her family and was monitoring her condition.
Elderly man reportedly shot in the neck
The second reported victim was identified as Sodiq Aremu, described by the organisation as an elderly resident.
According to MOTION Apapa, Aremu was shot in the neck and hospitalised.
The group said doctors had advised him to undergo emergency surgery estimated to cost about ₦500,000.
The medical circumstances and the cause of the injuries should be established through the relevant medical records and investigation.
Who fired the weapon?
This is one of the biggest unanswered questions.
MOTION Apapa said an eyewitness identified a police officer popularly known as “Kola” as being involved and alleged that the officer discharged a firearm.
However, that remains an allegation.
The group itself called for the account to be properly investigated and corroborated through witness testimony and available evidence.
That distinction matters.
Identifying a person in an allegation is not the same as establishing criminal responsibility.
Why were the police at the ceremony?
Another major question concerns the reason police officers allegedly went to the gathering in the first place.
MOTION Apapa is asking what specific offence, disturbance or threat the officers were responding to and why the naming ceremony was being stopped.
Those questions can only be properly answered through evidence from the police, residents, witnesses and any available recordings or official reports.
Was a firearm lawfully discharged?
The central issue is not simply whether police officers were present.
Police officers have security responsibilities and may lawfully use force in circumstances permitted by law.
The question is whether force, including the discharge of a firearm, was justified in the circumstances that night.
MOTION Apapa has called for an investigation into who discharged the weapon, why it was discharged and what circumstances existed when it happened.
What evidence should investigators examine?
If an independent investigation is conducted, several pieces of evidence could help establish what happened.
These include medical records, photographs, videos, eyewitness accounts, police reports, CCTV footage where available and the firearm involved.
MOTION Apapa has specifically called for such evidence to be preserved.
The tear-gas claim also needs answers
The organisation said it received an account that a traditional community leader allegedly told the girl’s parent that her injury was caused by tear gas rather than a firearm.
MOTION Apapa disputed that account and said the issue should be tested against medical and other evidence.
That is precisely why an independent investigation matters.
The question should not be settled by competing statements.
It should be settled by evidence.
What Nigerians should demand
This case should not become another social media argument where one side automatically believes the police and another automatically believes the residents.
The victims deserve something more serious.
They deserve an investigation capable of establishing what happened.
If an officer acted lawfully, the evidence should show it.
If an officer acted unlawfully, the evidence should also show it.
MOTION Apapa has called for the identification of all officers involved, preservation of evidence, medical support for the victims, protection of witnesses and accountability if wrongdoing is established.
The bigger question about police power
The police are given weapons because the state expects them to protect lives and maintain public safety.
That power comes with responsibility.
When firearms are discharged in a populated residential area, the public has a legitimate interest in knowing why.
And when an 11-year-old child and an elderly man reportedly end up with gunshot injuries during a community gathering, silence cannot provide the answers.
The facts must be established.
The evidence must be preserved.
The victims must receive proper medical care.
And if misconduct is established, the law should take its course.
Read also: What happens when people stop trusting the police?
For now, the reported shooting remains an allegation requiring independent verification and investigation, not a final determination of criminal responsibility.
Comments
Post a Comment