0
0
In Ijagemo, a busy community in the Alimosho/Ijegun axis of Lagos State, is reeling after a violent night attack that left a well-known local trader dead inside his own shop. The killing of 39-year-old Charles Chimezie Nwachukwu has thrown residents, market leaders and the Igbo community into mourning—and sparked angry calls for a thorough, independent investigation into allegations that a serving police officer orchestrated the attack.
According to eyewitness accounts and family testimony shared with community leaders, the incident happened on a Friday night between 9 p.m. and 10 p.m. Mrs. Blessing Nwachukwu, the victim’s wife, said she was with her husband at his shop when a large group of armed men—she estimated about 30—stormed the premises. She told community leaders that the group was led by a police officer known in the area as “Olopa,” whom she identified as Samson Ajakaye (sometimes spelled Samshedeen Ajakaye). The men, she said, were armed with guns and cutlasses, and they attacked her husband as she watched, helpless and screaming for help.
Residents who live and trade around the shop described a chaotic scene: shutters forced open, goods scattered, and the sound of shouting that drew neighbours out of their homes. By the time the attackers left, Charles was gravely wounded. He was rushed to a hospital but was confirmed dead, leaving behind his wife and four young children. Community members later described seeing signs of vandalism at the shop, and photographs circulated locally showing broken fixtures and bloodstains—images that deepened the sense of fear in Ijagemo.
The killing did not come out of nowhere, community leaders say. The widow alleges the attack was the culmination of a long-running land dispute. She claims her husband had a disagreement with a local traditional ruler, the Baale of Ijagemo, and with a woman in the area known as “Iya Lekan.” She further alleges that Officer Ajakaye had been involved in the dispute for years, and that previous petitions about threats to her husband’s life had not led to protection. These claims are serious—and they are still allegations under investigation.
News of the killing spread quickly. Dr. Anthony Ukachukwu, an Igbo leader in the area, said he received a distress call from Mrs. Nwachukwu and alerted the Eze Ndigbo of Alimosho, Eze Dr. C.C. Nwokedi, who arrived at the scene that night. Eze Nwokedi described the attack as “wicked, gruesome and barbaric,” and warned that it could destroy trust between residents and security agencies if not handled transparently. Other stakeholders—youth leader Comrade Ekwunife and community members—joined calls for justice, urging the Inspector-General of Police and the Lagos State Commissioner of Police to ensure an impartial probe.
Police response has been cautious but active. Community sources say the Area Commander of Area M, ACP Tokunbo Abaniwonda, visited the bereaved family on the instruction of the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, CP Olohundare Moshood Jimoh. They report that three suspects have been arrested, and that those in custody include the officer named by the widow—Samson Ajakaye—and others. As of the latest community update, the matter is still under investigation; no court has delivered a verdict, and the police have not released a final report.
For residents of Ijagemo, the tragedy has left a simple question: how could a man be killed in his shop, in front of his wife, by a mob allegedly led by someone who wears a police uniform? The answer, they say, must come from a transparent investigation that examines the land dispute, the role of any traditional authorities, and the conduct of the officer named in the complaint. Until then, the community remains tense—shops close earlier, neighbours watch the streets more closely, and a widow is left asking for justice for her husband and security for her children.
Source credit: Nairaland
#murder
#Ijagemo
#policeofficer
#GANG
#alimosho
#lagos.
SB E-news.
About the Author
