TENSION gripped the Ojo area of Lagos State on Saturday after unidentified gunmen invaded a military barracks and shot dead a butcher known simply as Ridwan.
The attack, which occurred around 8 a.m. in the Mammy Market section of the barracks, sent traders and customers fleeing for safety as the assailants—believed to be about four in number—fired several gunshots into the air before heading straight to Ridwan’s stall.
Eyewitnesses said the attackers, who wore masks, shot the butcher multiple times at close range before escaping.
“We were just opening for business when we heard gunshots,” recounted a trader identified as Mummy Blessing.
“Everyone ran for their lives. The gunmen went directly to Ridwan’s spot, shot him, and fled. When we returned, he was lying in a pool of blood.”
When newsmen visited the market yesterday, Ridwan’s stall, located in a corner of the market, stood empty, while nearby traders tried to resume business.
Another eyewitness, identified only as Musa, said the stall’s position made it difficult for Ridwan to escape. “The attackers were too close. While everyone ran, he couldn’t find a way out,” he said.
Attempts to save Ridwan’s life reportedly failed, as he was rejected at the barracks clinic and referred elsewhere.
“He was rushed to the clinic, but they didn’t treat him. Later, we heard he didn’t make it,” another trader recounted.
Although the motive behind the killing remains unclear, some residents suspect the attack was linked to cult-related violence.
Ridwan’s family has since buried him according to Islamic rites.
When contacted, the Lagos State Police Command spokesperson, Abimbola Adebisi, said she had not received any report of the incident. “No such case has been reported at the Onireke Police Station.
However, the Commissioner of Police has deployed more tactical teams to curb cultism and related crimes across the state,” she stated.
Efforts to reach Olabisi Ayeni, spokesperson for the Army’s 81 Division, were unsuccessful as calls and messages to his phone went unanswered.
This incident follows a similar attack in September in the same Ojo area, where four people were killed and a 14-year-old boy was injured after gunmen opened fire at a snooker spot near a military barracks.
Residents have since called for tighter security within and around the barracks to prevent further violence.