A Lagos police inspector, identified as Mercy Bassey, has died after being knocked down by a hit-and-run driver while reportedly deployed for route-lining duty ahead of President Bola Tinubu’s arrival in Lagos.
Bassey, who was attached to the Ikotun Divisional Police Station, was reportedly struck by a black Toyota Highlander at the Adekunle Intersection on the Third Mainland Bridge, inward Lagos Island, on Tuesday afternoon.
A security source said the incident occurred at about 2:30pm while police personnel were deployed for security operations connected to the President’s movement.
The SUV reportedly sped away after hitting the officer.
“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,” the source said.
Bassey was rushed to General Hospital, Ebute Metta, for treatment but reportedly died while awaiting treatment.
The source said her remains were expected to be moved to a morgue in Yaba for preservation.
The Lagos State Police Command confirmed the incident but declined to provide further details.
“We don’t want to comment on the matter at the moment,” the command’s spokesperson, Abimbola Adebisi, said.
As of the time of filing the report, neither the identity of the driver nor the registration number of the vehicle had been established publicly.
The police were reportedly working to obtain CCTV footage from the area in an effort to identify the vehicle and apprehend the driver.
The incident occurred amid heightened security operations in Lagos for Tinubu’s movement in the state.
The President arrived in Lagos on Tuesday after spending part of his working vacation in France, following an earlier stay in the United Kingdom.
His aircraft landed at the Presidential Wing of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, at about 6:22pm.
Security agencies had deployed personnel along routes associated with the presidential movement ahead of his arrival.
The death of Bassey adds to the risks faced by police officers assigned to route-lining and other traffic-security duties on some of Lagos’ busiest roads.
The investigation is expected to focus on identifying the vehicle and driver involved in the collision and establishing the circumstances that led to the officer’s death.
No arrest had been publicly announced as of the time of filing.
