An attack by unidentified gunmen on Saturday morning claimed the life of a butcher at a bustling market inside a military barracks in Ojo Local Government Area of Lagos State.
Eyewitnesses say the assailants, about four in number, entered the “Mammy Market” section of the barracks around 8 am and fired shots into the air, sending traders and customers scrambling for safety.
They then made a direct beeline for the stall of the victim, identified simply as Ridwan, and opened fire multiple times.
One trader, known only as “Mummy Blessing”, recalled:
“We were just opening for business when we heard gunshots. Everyone left what they were doing and ran away. Before we knew it, the masked men went straight to where Ridwan was selling meat, shot him, and fled.”
The butcher’s stall was situated near a corner of the market, making any escape route difficult, according to another witness, Musa:
“The men were very close to Ridwan’s stall when they started firing gunshots. So while everyone ran away, Ridwan could not find an escape route. That was how they successfully killed him.”
After being carried to a tricycle and rushed to the barracks’ clinic, Ridwan was reportedly rejected and later confirmed dead.
When contacted, the spokesperson for the Lagos State Police Command, Abimbola Adebisi, said she had no record of the incident at the nearest station.
She added that the Commissioner of Police had tasked tactical squads with increased patrols and a crackdown on cult‑related crime across the state.
