The Lagos State Police Command has detained an Assistant Superintendent of Police, ASP Omotayo Olajide, after his firearm was discharged during a police operation in Ajegunle, killing a two-year-old girl and injuring another child.
The tragic incident occurred on Thursday, November 5, 2026, between 9:30 p.m. and 10 p.m. in the Nosamu area of Ajegunle, Ajeromi-Ifelodun Local Government Area of Lagos State.
The deceased was identified by the police as Omole Taiwo, while the second girl, whose identity was not immediately disclosed, is receiving medical treatment and is reportedly in stable condition.
In a statement issued on Saturday, November 7, the Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, SP Abimbola Adebisi, said preliminary findings indicated that police operatives had been deployed to the area following a distress call over a violent confrontation between two rival groups identified as Nosamu Boys and Alayabiagba Boys.
The groups were reportedly fighting over toll collection and were said to be armed with cutlasses and other dangerous weapons.
According to the police, ASP Olajide discharged his firearm during the operation, and the bullet struck the two girls.
Both victims were initially rushed to Ajeromi General Hospital for emergency treatment. However, Omole was subsequently transferred to the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH), Ikeja, where she later died from her injuries.
The other victim remains under medical care.
Following the incident, the police said Olajide was immediately disarmed and detained, while the case was transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) for a thorough and impartial investigation.
The command said the investigation would establish the precise circumstances surrounding the shooting and determine the appropriate legal and disciplinary action.
Commissioner of Police, Lagos State Command, CP Tijani Fatai, also visited the bereaved family to offer his condolences and assure them that justice would be pursued.
Fatai reportedly pledged that no officer found culpable would be shielded from accountability, reaffirming the command’s commitment to professionalism, transparency and the protection of lives.
The police also appealed to members of the public with useful information about the incident to report to the nearest police station or the command’s Public Relations Department.
Although the police have confirmed that the officer discharged his firearm and that the bullet struck the two girls, several critical questions remain unanswered, including the circumstances in which the weapon was fired and whether the use of a firearm was necessary during the operation.
The incident has renewed concerns about the use of firearms by security personnel during operations in densely populated communities, particularly where innocent residents may be caught in confrontations involving suspected criminal groups.
It also recalls a similar fatal shooting in Ajegunle in April 2019, when police Inspector Dania Ojo shot and killed 20-year-old Ada Ifeanyi and injured another person. The officer was subsequently dismissed following an investigation into the incident, according to reports by Premium Times and The Punch.
The latest tragedy places renewed attention on police accountability and operational discipline. While officers are expected to respond to emergencies and protect communities from armed violence, their actions must also comply with the law and prioritise the safety of innocent civilians.
For the family of Omole Taiwo, the police assurance of an investigation must translate into clear answers and accountability. The surviving victim also deserves justice, while the public awaits the findings of the SCID investigation.
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