Protesters besiege Chrisland as govt orders inquest

The Lagos State Government on Monday ordered a coroner’s inquest to establish the cause of death of a 12-year-old student of Chrisland School, Whitney Adeniran, who died during the school’s inter-house sports at Agege Stadium, in the Agege area of the state.

PUNCH Metro confirmed the development in a statement by the state Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Moyosore Onigbanjo (SAN), who noted that a thorough investigation would be carried out to ascertain Whitney’s cause of death.

“A Coroner’s Inquest has immediately been requested in line with Sections 14 and 15 of the Coroners’ Systems Law, Laws of Lagos State 2015, to determine the cause and circumstances of death.

“By Section 14(1) (d) of the Coroners’ System Law of the State, report of death shall be made to any of the agencies for the report of death or the office of the Coroner and be subject to post-mortem examination where there is reasonable cause to believe that the cause of death was violent, unnatural or suspicious.

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“Section 15(1) and (9) further enjoins the Coroner to hold an inquest whenever he or she is informed that the death of the deceased person was in a violent, unnatural or suspicious situation or believes an inquest is desirable following the report of a reportable death,” Onigbanjo said.

Onigbanjo explained that as a government, the security and well-being of citizens were of utmost importance, as he assured the public that everything would be done to ensure that the cause of death was made public.

“The findings of this investigation will be made public in due course and appropriate sanctions meted out to anyone found culpable,” he added.

However, PUNCH Metro gathered that there was a mild drama on Monday when some persons believed to be relations of the late student staged a demonstration around the premises of the school.

The protesters were heard complaining that a section of the school was opened and demanded that the whole school be shut down.

Policemen were also sighted close to the entrance of the school.