Seven people have been arrested in connection with the murder of the foster son of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftain and former Minister of Communication, Mr Dapo Sarumi.

The deceased, 47-year-old Toyin Adeniji, was reportedly shot dead in front of Sarumi’s Oyewole Street residence in Agege, on Monday.

It was gathered that the late Adeniji, described as a union leader, and six of his friends were sitting opposite Sarumi’s house, at about 9pm, on the fateful day, when some unidentified persons, some of whom were in masks, walked past them and simultaneously turned back.

It was further gathered that when the deceased and his friends saw armed masked men approaching, they took to their heels, but Adeniji was not lucky as he was shot in the head and he died on the spot.

It was gathered that when the gunmen left, his friends who scampered for safety, rushed back to take him to the hospital, but discovered that he had given up the ghost.

A witness, who pleaded anonymity, described the deceased as Sarum’s aide and said he suspected that some members of the community took part in the killing.

The witness said: “The incident actually started in the evening, when one of the political thugs in the area, who is a notorious cultist, Asiwaju, and some of his boys invaded Oyewole Road and started shooting.

“Brother Toyin, went to Computer Village to buy a phone in the morning, and later he went to the mechanic workshop to repair his vehicle. He just returned from the mechanic workshop, when the gunmen came again.

“When they came, they started shooting and went down the road.

“When they were coming back, they stopped at where Brother Toyin and others were sitting. Four of the people who were with Brother Toyin escaped. The hoodlums caught the other four and started harassing them. Three others escaped, leaving only Brother Toyin.

“They slapped him (the deceased) repeatedly before they shot him. I heard one of the gunmen asking others not to waste the bullet, saying that they still have other things to do with the bullet.”

A police officer from the Area G Command, Ogba, said when they received distress call about the shooting, they raced to the area and cordoned off the place, but were unable to trace the gunmen until the following day, when they were able to get some persons.

The policeman said the killing was not unconnected with the forthcoming election, “because he is a union leader and a popular person in the area. Because of the popularity of his foster father, he became an influencer in the area.

The Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Benjamin Hundeyin, who confirmed the murder, said seven people have been arrested in connection with the killing, “the suspects have been transferred to the homicide section of the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department (SCIID), Panti, Yaba, for investigation; for now, we are investigating.” (Daily Sun)

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