Yoruba Nation Rally: Lagos Invites Falana for Inquest into Lady’s Death

The Lagos State Government yesterday invited Mrs. Funmi Falana for a preliminary meeting in respect of a coronary inquest into the death of a young lady killed during the Yoruba Nation rally last weekend in Lagos.

The invite was in response to Falana’s call for a probe into the cause of the death of late Miss Jumoke Oyeleke.

She was said to have been hit by a stray bullet while at her aunt’s shop during the rally at Gani Fawehinmi Freedom Park at Ojota, Lagos.

However, some reports alleged that the police were responsible for her death.

Falana, who doubles as founder and chairperson of Women Empowerment and Legal Aid (WELA) on July 5, 2021, wrote to the Lagos State Government, calling for the probe of the death of Jumoke.

The letter stated in part: “On July 3, 2021, the agitators for Yoruba self-determination gathered at the Gani Fawehinmi Park, where a young trader, Jumoke Oyeleke, was hit by stray bullet and gave up the ghost.

“In the light of the foregoing, we request you to use your good offices to cause a coroner’s inquest to be conducted into the tragic death of Jumoke and make appropriate recommendations pursuant to Section 15 of the Lagos State Coroner’s Law 2007, which provides that ‘an inquest shall hold whenever a coroner is informed that the death of a deceased person within his Coroner District was a result of death in a violent, unnatural or suspicious situation’.”

Three days after, the state, through a letter by the Deputy Chief Registrar, Legal, M. K. O. Fadeyi, responded to the letter and subsequently invited Falana for a meeting.

The letter dated July 8, read in part: “I refer to your letter dated July 5, 2021, addressed to the Chief Coroner of Lagos State, Justice M A. Dada.