By The Police Command in Lagos, on Sunday, have explained how eight children died of alleged suffocation in a Lagos suburb.
The kids were said to have mistakenly locked themselves in an abandoned car while playing at Adelayo Str., Agunlayo, Jah Micheal, near Magbon area of Badagry.
Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Lagos Police Command, Mr Adekunle Ajisebutu, in a statement, confirmed that the incident occurred on Saturday.
Ajisebutu said that the bodies of the kids had been recovered and deposited at the Badagry General Hospital’s morgue for autopsy to determine the actual cause of death.
“Notwithstanding the report made to the Police, the Commissioner of Police, CP Hakeem Odumosu, has ordered a thorough and speedy investigation into the circumstances surrounding their death.
“The CP also commiserates with the families of the victims,” he said.
Meanwhile, Commissioner, Lagos State Civil Service Commission, Mr Suru Avoseh, was reported as saying that the abandoned car belonged to a retired deceased staff of the Lagos State University (LASU).
According to him, the car was was forced opened by one of the children who was the grand child of the owner while the other seven were Nigerians residing in the area.
“The other seven kids are children of Bureau De Change Operators living in the community.
“The children forced the door of vehicle opened, entered and closed the door.
“No ventilation and nobody knew something was wrong and they suffocated and died.
“It wasn’t a kidnapping incident or any foul play by anyone. It is unfortunate,” he said.
The Medical Director, Badagry General Hospital, Dr Tunde Bakare, said that the children were brought dead on arrival.
“While we told them to leave them so that we could carry out autopsy, one Moslem cleric that followed them disagreed with our staff and said burial should not exceed Saturday.
“Unfortunately, the Police that brought the corpses supported the cleric so we had to release the corpses to them,” he noted.
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