Two students from Lagos State University narrowly escaped death after being injured by stray bullets during an attempted robbery in a student residential area known as PPL in the Ojo area on Monday evening.
According to an earlier report, the students were hit by stray bullets around 8 PM while purchasing food outside the campus.
An X user, posting as #belikebaddy, alerted fellow students, saying, “Two students have been shot at PPL, Ojo, Lagos. Please, students of LASU, stay indoors and don’t go out.”
Kappo Olawale, Senior Special Adviser on Students’ Union Affairs to Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, confirmed the incident on Twitter.
He stated that he had been in contact with the university’s Student Union President, who assured him that the victims were in stable condition.
“I have kept in touch with the President of the Student Union. The information passed just now is that the students have been stabilized. The Dean of Students (Affairs) was also on the ground to ensure they were properly attended to. Thanks to God!,” he tweeted.
A university student, speaking anonymously said that the victims had gone to buy food when they were caught in the crossfire. One of the victims, a female, was shown lying on a bed with her shirt drenched in blood.
He said:
“It happened around 8 PM at PPL. They went to get food outside, heard gunshots, and ran away. When they got home, they noticed the bullets had hit the male student on the neck and arm.
Due to the bleeding, he was rushed to the LASU Health Centre and then transferred to Igando Medical Hospital. He is already responding to treatment”.
The state police tactical team stationed in PPL, who requested anonymity, stated that only one student was struck by a stray bullet.
He said:
“Members of the tactical team along with the Chief Security Officer of the school are already at the scene. The suspects ran away. The boy who was shot had a bullet wound; he was advised to go to the hospital, and people were detailed to take him there. We are on top of the matter.”
The officer clarified that the assailants did not live in PPL and were likely outsiders attempting a robbery.
He said:
“They came to harass some people and try to rob them of their phones. That was suspicious yesterday (Monday). We don’t know whether the situation has changed today (Tuesday).”
