By Peter Omopo
30th August 2025
A protest broke out in Onosa community, Elemoro, Ibeju Lekki area of Lagos State, on Friday following the alleged shooting of a commercial motorcyclist by policemen.
Angry residents mounted roadblocks, set up bonfires, and chanted anti-police slogans, disrupting traffic along the Lekki–Epe Expressway for several hours.
Eyewitnesses told reporters that the unrest was triggered by the death of a rider identified as Muazu Abdullahi, who was reportedly shot on Thursday night when officers attempted to seize motorcycles from commercial riders.
“The police tried to seize their bikes, but the riders resisted. In the process, the officers opened fire, killing one of them instantly,” a protester alleged in a viral video posted on social media.
In footage circulating online, protesters could be heard shouting “Police Ole” (Police thieves) while police operatives retreated from the scene. Thick smoke from bonfires clouded the area as youths marched in anger.
Reacting, the Lagos State Police Command confirmed the incident. The Command’s spokesperson, CSP Benjamin Hundeyin, said the state Commissioner of Police, CP Olohundare Jimoh, personally led a team of officers to dismantle barricades and restore order.
“The hitherto blocked roads on Lekki–Epe expressway have been opened! CP Jimoh is currently holding talks with youth and community leaders to ensure the sustenance of the restored normalcy,” Hundeyin wrote on his official X handle.
In a follow-up statement, Hundeyin explained that six officers from the Elemoro Division, while on patrol, encountered an irate mob. He admitted that the officers used firearms, which left three persons injured, but said the victims had been taken to hospital for treatment.
“The officers involved in the shooting have been taken into custody as investigations into the incident commence. The Lagos State Police Command is committed to a thorough and transparent inquiry to establish the facts,” the statement added.
Police authorities assured residents that normalcy had been restored to Onosa, with increased patrols and engagements with community leaders to prevent a recurrence.
