A tragic accident in Akure, Ondo State, on April 17, 2025, claimed the life of seven-year-old Saratu Lawal, sparking controversy over the involvement of a vehicle in the convoy of Nigeria’s First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu.
Multiple eyewitnesses and some media outlets initially reported that a butter-coloured Toyota Hilux from the First Lady’s convoy struck Saratu near Oba Ile Central Mosque while the convoy was en route from the airport to an official event.
The girl, a pupil of Islamiyar Arabic School, was rushed to a local primary healthcare center but died from her injuries. Her father, a trader at Oba Ile market, expressed grief but said he had “handed everything to God.” Saratu’s body was handed over to her family for burial according to Islamic rites.
However, the Ondo State Police Command has strongly denied any involvement of the First Lady’s convoy in the fatal accident. In official statements, the police clarified that preliminary investigations and eyewitness accounts confirm the incident was caused by a hit-and-run driver operating an unregistered white Lexus vehicle unrelated to the convoy.
A witness reportedly pursued the fleeing vehicle on a motorcycle immediately after the crash. The police commissioner personally met with the grieving family and assured a thorough investigation to bring the culprit to justice.
The police also criticized some media reports for inaccuracies, including the incorrect age of the deceased and misattribution of the accident to the First Lady’s convoy, calling such claims “wholly untrue” and “irresponsible.” They urged the public to provide information to aid the manhunt for the hit-and-run driver.
Senator Oluremi Tinubu was in Ondo State to launch the South-West leg of the Renewed Hope Initiative, distributing professional kits to nurses and midwives, an event unrelated to the accident.
The incident has generated public outcry and calls for justice for the young victim, while the police continue their investigation to apprehend the responsible driver.
