Remi Tinubu’s convoy reportedly kills girl in Ondo

By Kingsley Ikechukwu

A tragic incident occurred on Thursday in Akure, the capital of Ondo State.

Diaspora digital media (DDM) gathered that the convoy of Nigeria’s First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, was reportedly involved in a fatal accident.

A seven-year-old girl named Saratu Lawal was struck and killed by one of the vehicles in the First Lady’s convoy.

The unfortunate event happened at Oba Ile, a community along the route from the Akure Airport to the event venue.

Eyewitnesses described the vehicle involved as a butter-coloured Hilux pickup, part of the convoy’s escort team.

Saratu, a pupil of an Arabic school in the Shasha area of Akure, was said to be returning from school when the incident happened.

The young girl was immediately rushed to a nearby primary healthcare facility by concerned individuals at the scene.

Despite efforts by medical staff to save her life, she was pronounced dead shortly after arrival at the clinic.

Her lifeless body was later handed over to her grieving family for burial in accordance with Islamic customs.

The First Lady was in Akure to launch the South-West phase of the Renewed Hope Initiative.

The programme is aimed at empowering women and girls through various support schemes.

As part of the initiative, professional kits including medical scrubs and Crocs were scheduled to be distributed to nurses and midwives.

The Renewed Hope Initiative is one of several social welfare projects associated with the Tinubu administration.

It is intended to address gender-related issues and promote economic empowerment across Nigeria’s geopolitical zones.

However, this tragic incident has cast a shadow over the programme’s intentions and its execution.

This is not the first time controversy has trailed the Renewed Hope Initiative.

During a similar event in Delta State, nursing students were gathered from across the state for the programme.

The event drew public attention when the students refused to sing a praise song introduced by the event’s host.

Instead, the students began chanting a different song, declaring they knew their real mothers.

The reaction was interpreted by many Nigerians as resistance to political pageantry and staged adoration.

The video of that episode quickly went viral on social media, sparking debate on the reception of the initiative.

Thursday’s accident has reignited public criticism regarding the use of national resources for politically-affiliated outreach programmes.

It has also raised serious concerns about the safety protocols employed during official movements by public figures.

Many Nigerians have taken to social media to express their sorrow and outrage over the loss of the young girl.

Some have called for a full investigation into the circumstances surrounding the accident.

There are growing demands for public accountability and a comprehensive review of convoy procedures nationwide.

The public is also questioning the cost of such initiatives when human lives are endangered in the process.

Attempts to reach the Ondo State Police spokesperson, DSP Ayanlade Olushola, have so far been unsuccessful.

Calls and messages to his phone went unanswered at the time of filing this report.

As Nigerians mourn the death of Saratu Lawal, many are calling on government officials to prioritize citizen safety during their movements.

Condolences have poured in from across the country to ondo with sympathizers urging authorities to support the grieving family.

The young girl’s death has become a symbol of how the vulnerable often suffer unintended consequences of state power.

While the First Lady’s office has yet to release a formal statement, pressure continues to mount for transparency.

Nigerians await further updates, hoping that the incident will not be swept under the carpet.

In the meantime, the ondo people and the nation stands in solidarity with the Lawal family over this irreparable loss.

Many pray that justice will be served and lessons learned to prevent such tragedies in the future.

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