Panic gripped traders and shoppers at a busy market in Lagos after a group of gunmen stormed the area and shot dead a meat seller identified as Ridwan.
According to eyewitnesses, about four armed men entered the market, firing several shots into the air to scare people away. The sudden chaos sent traders and customers running in different directions for safety.
Once the crowd dispersed, the assailants reportedly made their way straight to Ridwan’s stall and opened fire on him multiple times before escaping.
One of the traders, who identified herself as Mummy Blessing, said that the attack happened within minutes.
“We were just opening for business when we heard gunshots. Everyone dropped what they were doing and ran. Before we knew it, the men — who were wearing masks — went straight to where Ridwan was selling meat, shot him, and ran away. When we returned, we found him lying in a pool of blood,” she said.
During a visit to the market on Sunday, Ridwan’s meat stall, located near a corner, was empty. Traders nearby were seen going about their businesses, but there was still an air of unease around the area.
Another eyewitness, identified simply as Musa, said the location of Ridwan’s stall made it easy for the attackers to carry out their operation.
“They were very close to his stall when they started shooting. Because of where he was, Ridwan couldn’t escape. That’s how they managed to kill him,” Musa said.
Attempts to save Ridwan’s life reportedly failed after he was rejected at a military medical facility nearby.
“They rushed him to the barracks clinic in a tricycle, but the hospital didn’t accept him and referred them somewhere else. Later in the day, we heard he had died,” another trader said.
There are growing suspicions that the attackers might be members of a cult group, though this has not been confirmed. Ridwan’s family has since buried him according to Islamic rites.
When contacted, Lagos State Police Command spokesperson, Abimbola Adebisi, said the incident had not been officially reported.
“I’m not aware of such an incident, and nothing of that sort has been reported at the Onireke Police Station, which covers the area. However, the Commissioner of Police has ordered continuous patrols and deployed more officers to combat cult-related crimes across the state,” she said.
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Efforts to reach Olabisi Ayeni, spokesperson for the 81 Division of the Nigerian Army, were unsuccessful, as calls to his phone went unanswered and a text message sent to him had not been replied to as of the time of filing this report.
The latest killing has deepened fears among residents, many of whom are now calling for increased security presence in and around the barracks to prevent further violence.
