Recently, tragedy struck in Lagos State as soldiers attached to Operation MESA allegedly shot and killed a 15-year-old boy, Pelumi Sulaimon, and a tricycle operator, Aloma. According to eyewitnesses, the soldiers were hired by political thugs to carry out a reprisal on their opponents in the community on Sunday, February 26....CONTINUE READING
Residents in the area claimed that the soldiers arrived in a van with the inscription of OP MESA on it and started shooting indiscriminately. Pelumi, who was on his way to buy drinks for his friends to celebrate his birthday, was hit by a stray bullet. Aloma, on the other hand, was mistaken for one of their targets and was shot dead.
The incident was a result of a clash caused by political rivalry in the community. The clash occurred on Thursday night and was settled after the intervention of some residents in the area. However, there was another confrontation between the political parties during the election held on Saturday.
On Sunday, a thug belonging to one of the political parties brought soldiers and stormed the base where the clash occurred the last time. When they got there, they did not meet their targets, so the soldiers who were attached to the OP MESA started to shoot indiscriminately, leading to the death of Pelumi and Aloma.
Pelumi’s elder brother, Afeez, said he was with his friends when a resident told him that his brother had been shot by the soldiers. He rushed down to the spot and saw his immediate younger sister trying to lift Pelumi up from the ground.
They carried him to a hospital, but he passed away. The hospital asked them to get a police report before releasing the corpse, so the police took the corpse from the hospital and deposited it in the mortuary.
The incident has thrown Pelumi’s family and the entire community into mourning. Pelumi had just turned 15 years old on the day he was shot, and he was looking forward to celebrating with his friends. Instead, his life was cut short by the bullets of soldiers who were supposed to protect him.
The state Police Public Relations Officer, Benjamin Hundeyin, confirmed the incident and said that the case is at the State Criminal Investigation Department. However, no suspect has been arrested yet, and investigation is still ongoing.
The Deputy Director, Public Relations, 81 Division, Nigerian Army, Olabisi Ayeni, could not be reached for comment. He had yet to reply to a text message sent to his mobile number as of the time this report was filed.
The incident is a sad reminder of the need for security forces to be better trained and equipped to handle crises. It is also a call for political parties and their supporters to eschew violence and embrace peaceful means of resolving conflicts. The loss of Pelumi and Aloma is a tragedy that should not be repeated, and justice must be served for the families of the deceased.
