Lagos Police Detain ASP After Stray Bullet Kills Girl, Injures Another in Ajegunle
E-ISSN: 2354-4481
By Grace Chidimma Ibe
The Lagos State Police Command has detained an Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP), Omotayo Olajide, following a shooting incident during a police operation in Ajegunle, Lagos State, which claimed the life of a young girl and left another injured.
The incident occurred on Thursday, November 5, 2026, between 9:30 pm and 10:00 pm in the Nosamu area of Ajegunle, where police officers were responding to a violent clash between two rival groups identified as the Nosamu Boys and Alayabiagba Boys.
According to the police, the rival groups were allegedly involved in a dispute over toll collection and were armed with cutlasses and other dangerous weapons, creating tension and threatening public safety in the area.
In a statement issued on Saturday, November 7, 2026, the Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, SP Abimbola Adebisi, disclosed that preliminary investigations indicated that ASP Olajide discharged his firearm during the operation, resulting in the shooting of the two girls.
The victims were immediately rushed to Ajeromi General Hospital for emergency medical attention. However, one of them, identified as Omole Taiwo, was subsequently transferred to the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH), Ikeja, where she later died from her injuries.
The second victim is currently receiving medical treatment and has been reported to be in stable condition.
Following the incident, the police command confirmed that ASP Olajide had been disarmed and taken into custody, while the matter had been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) for a comprehensive investigation.
The command stated that the investigation would establish the circumstances surrounding the shooting and determine the appropriate legal and disciplinary measures against any officer found culpable.
The Commissioner of Police in Lagos State, CP Tijani Fatai, also visited the family of the deceased to express his condolences over the tragic loss.
During the visit, Fatai reportedly assured the bereaved family that the command would ensure a thorough and impartial investigation, adding that no police officer found responsible would be shielded from accountability.
However, the police have yet to establish publicly whether the officer deliberately fired at the rival groups, whether the girls were accidentally caught in the line of fire or whether the firearm discharged unintentionally during the operation.
The unresolved circumstances surrounding the shooting have raised questions about the conduct of the police operation and the need for greater accountability in the use of firearms by security personnel.
Previous Police Shooting Incident in Ajegunle
The latest incident has also revived memories of a similar shooting in Ajegunle in April 2019, when a 20-year-old woman, Ada Ifeanyi, was killed, while a man identified as Emmanuel Akomafuwa sustained gunshot injuries.
Following that incident, a police inspector, Dania Ojo, was declared wanted, while five other police officers were arrested in connection with the shooting.
Ojo was subsequently dismissed from the Nigeria Police Force after an investigation reportedly found him guilty of abusing his authority and unlawfully using his firearm.
The recurrence of fatal shooting incidents involving police operations in the Ajegunle area underscores the importance of professional policing, operational discipline and strict adherence to the rules governing the use of firearms.
As investigations into the November 5 incident continue, residents and the victim's family will be looking towards the authorities for transparency, justice and accountability.
The Lagos State Police Command has maintained that the outcome of the investigation will determine the next line of action against the detained officer.
