A vehicle reportedly belonging to the convoy of Nigeria’s First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, has killed a seven-year-old girl identified as Saratu Lawal in Akure, Ondo State.
The incident was confirmed by multiple eyewitnesses.
The First Lady was in the state to launch the South-West phase of the Renewed Hope Initiative, a federal programme aimed at improving the welfare of women and girls nationwide. As part of the event, over 10,000 professional kits were distributed to nurses and midwives across the region.
The incident took place around the Oba Ile area, as the convoy was en route from the Akure Airport to the programme venue, sources say. The sources also confirmed that the vehicle, a butter-coloured Hilux in the motorcade was said to have hit the girl.
“A seven years old girl by the name Saratu Lawal, and a pupil of Islamiyar Arabic School, Shasha, was knocked down by a butter-coloured Hilux in the government convoy of her Excellency, the First Lady of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Senator Oluremi Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who is on official visit to Ondo State,” a source disclosed.
The source further revealed that the accident occurred near the Oba Ile Central Mosque on Thursday morning.
“It claimed the life of the child as every effort to save her could not yield the desired result even when she was rushed to the primary healthcare in Oba Ile,” the source added.
The father of the deceased, Malam Lawali, a trader at the Oba Ile Market, confirmed the loss of his daughter and said he has “handed everything to God.”
Saratu’s body has since been returned to the family for burial in accordance with Islamic rites.
As of the time of filing this report, the police have not issued an official statement regarding the incident.
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