Six Lagos traders were buried on Wednesday, April 1, after being shot dead by police officers allegedly on illegal patrol duties, sparking public anger and demands for accountability. The incident occurred in Ikorodu, where the men—traders at the Ikorodu Motor Spare Parts Market—were killed under circumstances pointing to a botched operation linked to a suspected land dispute. Families identified the deceased as Adekunle Adeyemi, 42; Rasak Balogun, 38; Tunde Adebayo, 45; Gbenga Ogunleye, 36; Wasiu Alao, 40; and Kola Oladimeji, 43. Their bodies were received at Ikorodu General Hospital by grieving relatives, some of whom collapsed during the emotional identification process.
According to eyewitnesses, the police officers were not on official assignment but were reportedly acting alongside a suspected land grabber attempting to take over part of the market. A source within the Lagos State Police Command confirmed that the officers involved were operating outside official channels and had no documented patrol orders for the area at the time. Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu expressed shock over the incident, calling it a "deeply tragic breach of trust" and ordering immediate investigation by the State's Internal Affairs Committee. The Nigeria Police Force also confirmed that seven officers have been suspended pending the outcome of the probe.
Community leaders and market union representatives have condemned the killings, demanding justice and compensation for the victims' families. A statement from the Ikorodu Traders Association described the men as peaceful businessmen with no criminal records. The Lagos State Government has promised a transparent process and assured that those found culpable will face the full weight of the law.
The victims were laid to rest in separate funeral services across Lagos and Ogun State.
When Governor Sanwo-Olu calls the killings a "breach of trust," that means police officers acted as enforcers for private interests, not as law enforcers—and that erodes the very foundation of state authority. The suspension of seven officers without waiting for a report signals the government knows how explosive this moment is. If police can be deployed illegally to serve land grabbers, then no trader, market, or community is safe from weaponised law enforcement. This case must not become another unresolved tragedy buried by bureaucracy.
