OP MESA operatives shot dead SS2 student in Abeokuta

By Kolawole Olayinka, Abeokuta
Tragedy struck in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital on Thursday as security operatives attached to the state’s special security outfit, OP MESA shot dead, an SS2 student of Unity High School, Ago Ika.
The student, simply identified as Sadiat was hit by the bullet of one of the OP MESA operatives, whose direct shot missed target.
The 17-years old girl was walking out of the school premises along with other students after finishing her examination for the day.
It was gathered that the OP MESA operatives were on a hot chase of one of the internet fraudsters popularly referred to as “yahoo-yahoo boys”, who ran into the area in an attempt to escape arrest.
But in the process, the security operatives allegedly shot directly at him without taking into cognisance, the presence of the students trooping out of the school premises, as well as other passersby.
Sadiat, who was said to be the only daughter of her mother, was pronounced ‘dead on arrival’ at the Federal Medical Center (FMC), Idi Aba, Abeokuta, where she was rushed to.
Three other students and a commercial motorcyclist were also hit by stray bullets.
After the shooting, Sadiat’s fellow students marched to Enu-Gada Police Post in Ago Ika area to protest her death.
They started hauling stones, broken bottles and other objects at the police post before the most senior police officer on duty gave the directive that they should be dispersed.
It was gathered that some of the students as well as passersby were arrested by the reinforcement sent by the state police command on the allegation of rioting, fueling the riot or filming the scene of the crisis.
When contacted, the command’s Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Abimbola Oyeyemi, who tactically confirmed the incident, however, denied knowledge of the death of the student.
Oyeyemi, who disclosed that a Police Inspector was macheted on the head, further said that the security operatives were not chasing any “yahoo-yahoo”, but a notorious secret cultist, who had for a long time, been on the wanted list of the police.
He explained that residents of the area colluded with the suspected cultist and attempted to prevent the security operatives from performing their lawful duty, hence the need to deploy minimum force to scare away the people.