The Police in Lagos on Sunday confirmed the death of eight children who mistakenly locked themselves in an abandoned car while playing at Adelayo Str., Agunlayo, Jah Michael, near Magbon area of Badagry.
The spokesman for the Lagos State Police Command, Adekunle Ajisebutu, in a statement, said the incident occurred on Saturday.
Ajisebutu said that their bodies had been recovered and deposited at the Badagry General Hospital’s morgue for autopsy so as to determine the actual cause of death.
He said: “Notwithstanding the report made to the Police, the Commissioner of Police, CP Hakeem Odumosu, has ordered a thorough and speedy investigation into the circumstances surrounding their death.
“The CP also commiserates with the families of the victims.”
The News Agency of Nigeria correspondent who monitored the incident reports that the eight children were found dead in the vehicle parked in front of the owner’s house.
Suru Avoseh, Commissioner, Lagos State Civil Service Commission, told NAN that the abandoned car belonged to a retired staff of the Lagos State University, who is now late.
According to Avoseh, the car was forced opened by one of the children who was the grandchild of the owner, while the other seven are Nigerians residing in the area.
He said: “The other seven kids are children of Bureau De Change Operators living in the community.
“The children forced the door of the vehicle opened, entered and closed the door.
“No ventilation and nobody knew something was wrong and they suffocated and died.
“It wasn’t a kidnapping incident or any foul play by anyone.
“It is unfortunate.”
Dr. Tunde Bakare, the Medical Director, Badagry General Hospital, told NAN that the children were brought dead to the hospital.
Bakare said: “While we told them to leave them so that we could carry out autopsy, one Moslem cleric that followed them disagreed with our staff and said burial should not exceed Saturday.
“Unfortunately, the Police that brought the corpse supported the cleric so we had to release the corpses to them.”
