The father of Saratul Lawal, the nine-year-old girl allegedly k+lled during First Lady Oluremi Tinubu’s visit to Akure, Ondo State, has challenged the police account, saying eyewitnesses confirmed a vehicle in the First Lady’s convoy was responsible for the tragic incident.
In an emotional interview with SaharaReporters, the bereaved father recounted how he was told by residents of the area that his daughter was struck by a vehicle in the First Lady’s convoy as it returned from the Akure airport. Though he did not witness the accident himself, he said multiple eyewitnesses — including Yoruba community members — pointed to the convoy as the cause.
“People came to tell me my daughter had been k+lled. By the time I got there, she was already taken to the hospital,” he said, identifying the child as Saratul, a student of an Islamic school in Shasha, Akure.
Despite being urged to confront officials, the father said he chose not to accuse anyone directly, emphasizing he feared God and wouldn’t lie about what he didn’t witness personally — but stressed that several people claimed they saw it happen.
Earlier reports indicated that a Hilux vehicle in the First Lady’s convoy hit Saratul near Oba Ile, just before the central mosque. She was rushed to the Oba Ile Primary Healthcare Centre but did not survive. Her body was later handed to her family for burial in accordance with Islamic rites.
However, the Ondo State Police Command denied any involvement of the First Lady’s convoy, stating that preliminary investigations and eyewitness accounts pointed to an unregistered white Lexus SUV as the vehicle responsible, describing it as a hit-and-run case.
About The Author
