13-year-old boy shoots girl dead in Ogun

A 13-year-old boy, Ope Babalola, has allegedly shot dead a three-year-old girl, Esther Samuel, in Ogun State.

The teenage boy reportedly shot the minor dead with a dane gun belonging to one Semiu Adegesin.

The incident happened in Kukudi village in Imasayi, Yewa North Local government area of the state.

The police public relations officer of the command, Abimbola Oyeyemi who disclosed this to journalists Friday said Adegesin, the owner of the gun had been arrested for “contributory negligence.”

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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.

“It was there that the 13-year-old Ope Babalola picked the loaded gun, pointed it at the deceased and pulled the trigger.

“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.

He added that the commissioner of police in the state, 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.