In a report by the Daily Trust, Kuburat Adeniji, the mother of a 24-year-old National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) member named Gafar Wahab Adeniji, recounted what her son faced during the demolition of structures at the Otto community in Lagos. She described how upon entering their room, she discovered her son, Gafar, struggling to breathe and choking due to the effects of teargas that had been released during the police operation.
According to Kuburat Adeniji, she rushed to her son's aid after hearing about the teargas being fired in their vicinity. She found Gafar overwhelmed by the teargas, which had filled their room, making it difficult for him to breathe. The distressed mother immediately sought help and managed to evacuate Gafar from the room.
Following the incident, Gafar was taken to a hospital in Ikorodu for urgent medical attention. Kuburat Adeniji recounted how the doctor at the hospital expressed concern that her son had inhaled a harmful substance, to which she informed the doctor that it was tear gas. Despite initial treatment, Gafar's condition did not improve, prompting the doctor to refer him to Sagamu Teaching Hospital in Ogun State.
The situation took a turn for the worse as Gafar's health deteriorated during the journey to Sagamu Teaching Hospital. Kuburat Adeniji revealed that her son passed away on April 2 while en route to the hospital. The devastating loss of Gafar has left his family grieving and seeking answers about the circumstances surrounding his untimely death.
Hear him: "My son was sleeping at home when the police started firing teargas (canisters). I quickly left the shop and went home to check on him because he had been sick. Everywhere was filled with tear gas. By the time I entered our room, he was already choked and struggling to breathe. I called for help, and he was rescued. We took him to a hospital in Ikorodu. The doctor complained that he inhaled some substance in the room, and I told him it was tear gas. The doctor later referred him to Sagamu Teaching Hospital in Ogun State. We were taking him there on April 2, when he died."