Chrisland: Lagos Orders Coroner’s Inquest Into Adeniran’s Death

The Lagos State Government has ordered a coroner’s inquest to ascertain the cause of death in the case of the late Whitney Adeniran, a 12-year-old student of Chrisland School, who died on Thursday, February 9, 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 would be carried out to ascertain the cause of death.

The statement read in part, “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 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 report 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.”

“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.”

The commissioner noted that as a government, the security and well-being of citizens are of utmost importance while assuring the public that everything would be done to ensure that the cause of death is known.

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

The Lagos State Government has ordered the temporary closure of Chrisland School, Opebi-Ikeja, following Whitney’s death.

The directive was contained in a statement on the Instagram page of the Lagos State Government on Sunday night.

A release signed by the State Commissioner for Education, Mrs. Folasade Adefisayo, said the closure was ordered pending the outcome of a full investigation into the unfortunate incident.

“We also note the impact of this unfortunate event on family, friends and acquaintance of Whitney and call for calm as we assure that no effort will be spared in investigating the incident,” the terse statement read.

Also, on Monday protesters were seen protesting in front of the school, with police officers also stationed around the school premises.

Whitney allegedly died during the school inter-house sports events in Lagos.

On Sunday, the deceased father, Dr Michael Adeniran, claimed his daughter died of electrocution.

Mr Adeniran made the claim in an interview with the BBC Pidgin on Sunday.

Meanwhile, the school management in a statement on Sunday said the deceased slumped in “public view and not under any hidden circumstances,” adding that she was rushed to the nearest medical facility for first aid.