The death toll from the August 27 police shooting at the Owode Onírin Spare Parts Market in Lagos has risen to six, sparking renewed outrage and calls for justice, PUNCH Metro findings revealed.

The incident, allegedly carried out by four Mobile Policemen led by one Abiodun Hakeem Ariori, left four traders dead on the spot after the officers reportedly stormed the market in gangster style and shot sporadically into the crowd.

The former spokesperson for the state police command, Benjamin Hundeyin, had confirmed the arrest and detention of the officers involved while declaring Ariori wanted.

Ariori, according to a PUNCH Metro report, later surrendered himself to the command.

But the tragedy deepened when two more traders, who had been battling for their lives in the hospital, succumbed to their injuries.

The latest victim, Aderemi Adeoye, was said to have died on September 1 after undergoing a surgery and spending days on life support.

The six traders killed have been identified as Seyi Akinboye, Adeoye Taiwo, Dare Mufutau, Abraham Temilola, Wale Adebayo, and Aderemi Adeoye.

At a press conference in Lagos on Wednesday by the Centre for Human and Socio-Economic Rights, grieving relatives recounted the harrowing final moments of their loved ones.

Adeoye’s mother, weeping as she spoke, said the loss of her first son had broken her.

“One of his brothers called me to say that my son was in the hospital. They said he had been shot while at his shop. When I got there the following morning, I saw him on oxygen after surgery.

“He remained there until September 1, when he was confirmed dead. He was my first son. His wife had just given birth to a baby. The baby is less than seven months old. I laboured over him (her son) for years. They took him away from me. How do I care for his wife and child now? ”

Abiodun Temilola, speaking for the family of Idowu, explained that the latter died in transit after doctors at the Ikorodu General Hospital failed to remove a bullet lodged in his body.

He said, “We had not reached the Agric Bus Stop on our way to Ikeja Hospital when he died. Idowu had two wives and three children. He was shot inside his shop. We want justice. Innocent lives should not be wasted like this.”

For the Akinboye family, the shock remains raw. Dauda Osokoya, elder brother to the late trader, recalled receiving the devastating news.

“I was told my brother left his shop to buy food when he was killed. When I finally got to the hospital, I saw him lying on a table as if he was just sleeping. He bled to death after being shot in the thigh.

“Our mother is 80 years old; I couldn’t tell her immediately. I lied that he had travelled to Libya. He left behind a wife and three children, the oldest only seven. What we want is justice. Everyone involved must be held accountable.”

The CHSR President, Alex Omotehinse, condemned the Lagos State Government for failing to act on earlier petitions by the traders.

“For months, the Owode traders cried out for help. They wrote letters, staged protests, and delivered petitions to Governor Sanwo-Olu and the Lagos Assembly. Their warnings were ignored. Now, their blood has been spilt,” he said.

Omotehinse also accused state officials of complicity in land grabbing under the guise of development.

“Public office holders use fronts like Ariori to seize land and enrich themselves while poor families are stripped of their homes, shops, and livelihoods. This is governance turned into a business.”

He challenged the state police command to reveal the identities of the officers behind the shooting.

He said, “Four police officers were identified at the scene of this bloodbath. Who are they? What are their names and ranks? Who deployed them illegally? Their identities must be made public, and they must face trial. Anything less is a cover-up.”

While demanding prosecution of the culprits, Omotehinse called for compensation for victims’ families and urged the Federal Government to take over the case, insisting that the Lagos State Government could not be trusted to deliver justice.

The killings draw unsettling parallels with the case of Baale of Lotu Town in Ibeju-Lekki, Fatai Jubril, who was gunned down on July 15, 2023, by a mobile policeman, Dikko Usman, during a land dispute.

Though the officer was arrested, the case has dragged on in court for years despite legal advice from the DPP. (The PUNCH)

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