A female police inspector identified as Mercy Bassey has reportedly died after she was knocked down by a hit-and-run driver while carrying out route-lining duty ahead of President Bola Tinubu’s movement in Lagos.
According to The Punch, a security source who spoke on condition of anonymity said the officer was hit by a black Toyota Highlander SUV on Tuesday.
Bassey, who was attached to the Ikotun Divisional Police Station, was reportedly crossing the Third Mainland Bridge at the Adekunle Intersection, inward Lagos Island, when the incident occurred.
The source said the police inspector had been deployed to the area as part of security arrangements for the President’s movement when she was struck by the vehicle.
According to the source, neither the registration number of the SUV nor the identity of the driver was immediately known.
The source said, “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.”
Following the incident, the injured policewoman was reportedly rushed to General Hospital, Ebute Metta, for medical attention. However, she was said to have 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.
The police are reportedly working to obtain CCTV footage from the area in an effort to identify the vehicle involved and track down the fleeing driver.
The spokesperson for the Lagos State Police Command, SP 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.
