A 10-year-old pupil, identified simply as Rofiat, lost her life after a teacher’s car knocked her down on the premises of her school, Isiu Grammar School, in the Ikorodu area of Lagos State.
The incident occurred on Friday, September 29, around 1pm, when Rofiat was playing with her friends on the school playground while preparing for the closing period.
According to a resident of the area, a Nissan car parked by a teacher identified simply as Dele some meters away from the playground suddenly started to roll backwards towards Rofiat’s direction.
The female junior class student, who did not notice the oncoming vehicle, got hit by it and fell to the ground, hitting her forehead.
The resident said, “We were told that the incident happened around 1pm. The car had been parked there since morning when the teacher arrived. We don’t know how it managed to move from the position.
“Meanwhile, Rofiat was backing the moving vehicle. The moment the vehicle hit her, the impact made her hit her forehead on the ground. It was other students who rushed to call the teachers who came to the scene and found her motionless.”
The resident said Rofiat was rushed to Isiotu General Hospital where she was admitted and attended to. However, she was later referred to Agbowa General Hospital as her condition became critical.
He said, “It was later that the medical staff members there discovered that her case had become critical. That was when they referred those who took her there to Agbowa General Hospital. On getting to Agbowa, she was immediately taken to the emergency section where she was later confirmed dead.”
Following her death, some police officers from Ikorodu Division visited the school premises to take photographs and interrogate some teachers who were on duty when the incident happened.
The owner of the car was also taken into custody after he reported the incident at the police station.
The state Police Public Relations Officer, SP Benjamin Hundeyin, confirmed the incident and said that an investigation was ongoing.
He said, “Yes, it happened. The owner of the car was taken into custody. An investigation is ongoing.”
