By Abimbola Ogunnaike
The Ogun State Police Command has confirmed the arrest of a13-year-old boy, Ope Babalola, for allegedly shooting to death a three-year-old girl, Esther Samuel, in Kukudi village in Imasayi, Yewa North Local Government Area of the state
The teenage boy, it was gathered shot the minor dead with a dane gun said to belong to one Semiu Adegesin. The command also confirmed the arrest of Adegesin.
The Command Public Relations Officer, Abimbola Oyeyemi who confirmed the development during a press briefing with newsmen on Friday, 10 March, 2023, said Adegesin, the owner of the gun had been arrested for “contributory negligence.”
Oyeyemi said the 45-year-old suspect was arrested following a report lodged at the Imasayi divisional headquarters of the police that a 13-year-old boy, Ope Babalola shot and killed the girl with a dane gun.
“Upon the information, the Divisional Police Officer, Imasayi, SP Arowojeun Michael, quickly led his detectives to the scene where the deceased was seen in a pool of her blood.
“Preliminary investigation revealed that the suspect, Semiu Adegesin, loaded his dane gun and carelessly kept it in an open place at the backyard of the house where children used to play.
“The suspect picked and shot the girl with the gun at close range.
“She was quickly taken to the General Hospital, Ilaro, where she was confirmed dead by the doctor on duty.
“The owner of the dane gun was promptly arrested and taken to the station for interrogation,” Oyeyemi said.
According to him, the state Commissioner of Police, Frank Mba, has directed that the case be transferred to the Homicide Section of the State Criminal Investigation Department for investigation.
Mba, who described the incident as unfortunate, sympathised with the deceased’s family and appealed for calm as the case would be investigated.
