Five-year-old Aliyah Masaku, who was attacked by three dogs in the Ikorodu area of Lagos State, has died.
Aliyah died at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, Ikeja, on Wednesday after she was transferred from the Ikorodu General Hospital, where she was first admitted.
PUNCH Metro had reported that Aliyah was sleeping at their house on Alhaji Abdul Hakeem Bin Sulaimon Avenue, off Ewuren Road, Ikorodu, when an Alsatian dog broke loose.
The dog, Rover, was one of 15 other dogs owned by the landlord who is based in London, United Kingdom. It reportedly dragged Aliyah to the back of the house where two other Alsatian dogs joined it in attacking her.
They inflicted multiple injuries on her body in an attack residents said lasted for about two hours.
The father, Wasiu, who was responsible for the care of the dogs, had reportedly gone to buy the dogs’ feed when the incident happened on Monday.
Around 11pm of that day, some residents reportedly invaded the house and killed Rover.
Aliyah was taken to the Ikorodu General Hospital.
The father told our correspondent around 4pm on Wednesday that his daughter had a minor surgery at the hospital, before she was transferred to LASUTH.
He said, “This afternoon, the doctors said her condition had worsened and she was not breathing normally again. They said they would need to take her to the Intensive Care Unit where I would spend about N500,000 per day. They have not been asking for money from me, except for the drugs. Please help me ask Nigerians for support.”
Around 6pm, Wasiu informed PUNCH Metro that Aliyah had been pronounced dead and broke down in tears.
He lamented that his life would never be the same again.
The Director of the Office of Public Defender, Mrs. Olubukola Salami, expressed sadness at the news, adding that measures were being taken to forestall a recurrence in the state.
Salami said the agency was making an arrangement to remove the 15 dogs in the house where the incident happened.
“This is very sad. The girl sustained too many injuries. She was a victim of negligence and greed. We will be going to the house to remove the dogs on Friday,” she added.
Source – The Punch
