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A police inspector attached to the Ikotun Divisional Police Station, Lagos, has died after she was reportedly knocked down by a hit-and-run driver while on route-lining duty ahead of President Bola Tinubu’s arrival in Lagos.
The deceased officer, identified as Inspector Mercy Bassey, was reportedly hit by a black Highlander SUV at about 2:30pm on Tuesday while crossing the Third Mainland Bridge at Adekunle Intersection, inward Lagos Island.
A security source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said Bassey was deployed for route-lining duty in preparation for the President’s movement in the state when the incident occurred.
The source said the SUV struck the officer and sped away, while patrol officers gave chase but were unable to apprehend the driver.
“Yesterday, at about 2:30pm, while on route lining for the Presidential movement, Inspector Mercy Bassey, attached to Ikotun Divisional Police Station, Lagos, was hit by a black Highlander SUV while crossing the Third Mainland Bridge at Adekunle Intersection, inward Lagos Island, Lagos.
“The registration number of the vehicle and the driver are not yet known. The vehicle sped off after hitting the officer. The vehicle was chased by patrolmen on duty but escaped to an unknown destination.”
Bassey was reportedly rushed to the General Hospital, Ebute Metta, for treatment but later died while awaiting treatment.
“The victim was rushed to General Hospital, Ebute Metta, but later died while awaiting treatment. The corpse will be moved to a morgue in Yaba for preservation,” the source added.
Following the incident, the police commenced efforts to identify the vehicle and track down the driver, including attempts to obtain CCTV footage from the area.
When contacted, the spokesperson for the Lagos State Police Command, Abimbola Adebisi, confirmed the incident but declined to provide further details.
“We don’t want to comment on the matter at the moment,” she said.
As of the time of filing the report, the registration number of the SUV and the identity of the driver remained unknown.
The incident occurred amid heightened security operations in Lagos as security agencies deployed personnel ahead of Tinubu’s arrival in the state.
The President arrived in Lagos on Tuesday after spending part of his working vacation in France and the United Kingdom. His aircraft landed at the Presidential Wing of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, at 6:22pm.
