Legal Updates

WHITNEY ADENIRAN: LAGOS ORDERS CORONER’S INQUEST

Published

1 year ago

February 14, 2023

Stella Charles Akupue

WHITNEY ADENIRAN: LAGOS ORDERS CORONER’S INQUEST

The Lagos State Government has ordered a Coroner’s Inquest to establish the cause of death in the case of the late Whitney Adeniran, a 12-year-old student of Chrisland School, who died on Thursday, 9th February 2023.

The Lagos State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr Moyosore Onigbanjo (SAN), gave the directive in a statement today, noting that a thorough investigation will be carried out to ascertain the cause of death.

He said, “A Coroner’s Inquest has immediately been requested in line with sections 14 and 15 of the Coroners’ Systems Law, Laws of Lagos State 2015, to determine the cause and circumstances of the student’s death”.

“By Section 14 (1) (d) of the Coroners’ System Law of the State: A report of death shall be made to any of the agencies for the information of death or the office of the Coroner and be subject to post-mortem examination where there is reasonable cause to believe that the cause of death was: violent, unnatural or suspicious.

Lagos orders inquest into the death of Chrisland school student, Adeniran

“Section 15 (1) and (9) further enjoins the Coroner to hold an inquest whenever he or she is informed that the death of the deceased person was in a violent, unnatural or suspicious situation or believes an inquest is desirable following the report of a reportable death”, he added.

The Commissioner noted that as a responsible government, the security and well-being of citizens are of utmost importance, assuring the public that everything will be done to ensure that the cause of death is determined.

“The findings of this investigation will be made public in due course and appropriate sanctions meted out to anyone found culpable”, Onigbanjo stated.

WHITNEY ADENIRAN: LAGOS ORDERS CORONER’S INQUEST

IN A RELATED NEWS:

LAGOS STATE GOVERNMENT SHUTS DOWN ONLY CHRISLAND HIGH SCHOOL IKEJA

Meanwhile, the Lagos State Ministry of Education has clarified that the official order for the temporary closure of one of the Chrisland Schools affects only Chrisland High School, Ikeja, and not all the schools operated by the owners.

In a statement signed by the Assistant Public Affairs in the Ministry, Mr Ganiu Lawal explains that the clarification is necessary to address the anxiety of parents and public members on the erroneous claim that the school defied the State Government order on its closure.

To avoid doubt, only Chrisland High School Ikeja, where Whitney was a student until the unfortunate incident, remains closed as directed, and the school authority has complied.

LAGOS STATE GOVERNMENT SHUT DOWN ONLY CHRISLAND HIGH SCHOOL IKEJA

It states that the regrettable death of Whitney, as reported, is undergoing investigation by the police and relevant agencies of the Lagos State Government and the findings of the inquiry will be made public as soon as it is completed.

According to the Statement, Chrisland High School, Ikeja, will remain temporarily closed to students and staff to allow unhindered investigations and afford all stakeholders, including parents, students, staff, and friends of the deceased, time to grieve.