OWODE ONÍRIN MARKET SHOOTING: DEATH TOLL RISES TO SIX AS FAMILIES DEMAND JUSTICE
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By Aishat Momoh. O.
The death toll from the August 27 police shooting at the Owode Onírin Spare Parts Market in Lagos has climbed to six, prompting renewed outrage and demands for accountability.
The incident, allegedly carried out by four Mobile Policemen led by one Abiodun Hakeem Ariori, initially left four traders dead after the officers reportedly stormed the market and opened fire indiscriminately. Ariori was later declared wanted by the Lagos State Police Command but subsequently surrendered.
Two more victims later succumbed to their injuries in hospital, including Aderemi Adeoye, who died on September 1 after undergoing surgery and days on life support.
The six deceased traders have been identified as Seyi Akinboye, Adeoye Taiwo, Dare Mufutau, Abraham Temilola, Wale Adebayo, and Aderemi Adeoye.
At a press conference on Wednesday, the Centre for Human and Socio-Economic Rights (CHSR) joined grieving relatives in condemning the killings and demanding justice. Families of the victims recounted painful details of their loss, including Adeoye’s mother, who described how her son—her firstborn and father of a seven-month-old baby—died despite days of medical intervention.
Other families spoke of loved ones shot inside their shops or while buying food, leaving behind widows, children, and elderly parents.
CHSR President, Alex Omotehinse, accused state officials of complicity in land grabbing under the guise of development, alleging that Ariori acted as a front for powerful interests. He condemned the Lagos State Government for ignoring earlier petitions and warnings from traders.
“For months, the Owode traders cried out for help. They wrote letters, staged protests, and delivered petitions to Governor Sanwo-Olu and the Lagos Assembly. Their warnings were ignored. Now, their blood has been spilt,” Omotehinse said.
He further challenged the police command to disclose the identities of the officers involved and called for their prosecution. Omotehinse also demanded compensation for the families of the victims and urged the Federal Government to take over the case, saying Lagos authorities could not be trusted to deliver justice.
The killings mirror past incidents of police-linked violence, including the July 2023 shooting of Baale of Lotu Town, Fatai Jubril, by a mobile policeman during a land dispute—an unresolved case still dragging in court.
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