BREAKING: Outrage in Ibeju-Lekki as Residents Block Roads Over Police Killing of Unarmed Man, Two Others Critical
BREAKING: Outrage in Ibeju-Lekki as Residents Block Roads Over Police Killing of Unarmed Man, Two Others Critical
Tension gripped the Onosa community in Lagos State’s Ibeju-Lekki area on Friday as hundreds of angry residents, mostly youths, poured into the streets to protest the killing of an unarmed man by police officers.
The victim, whose identity had not yet been confirmed at press time, was shot dead on Thursday night in what eyewitnesses described as an unprovoked and unjustifiable attack. Two other individuals were critically injured and are currently receiving treatment at an undisclosed hospital.
By Friday morning, news of the killing had spread across Onosa, sparking widespread anger. Residents blocked major roads with burning tyres and barricades, paralyzing vehicular movement. Videos obtained by SaharaReporters show large crowds marching through the streets, chanting slogans against police brutality. In one clip, the victim’s lifeless body could be seen in a car as demonstrators demanded justice.
“The protest was against the police in Ibeju-Lekki after the killing of an unarmed citizen. It happened at Onosa,” a resident told SaharaReporters. Another eyewitness confirmed, “Two people are in the hospital now. Their condition is very critical.”
The police presence in the area was visibly heavy, with officers deployed to contain the unrest. But residents insisted their march would continue until the officers involved in the shooting are identified and held accountable.
The incident has once again rekindled painful memories of the 2020 #EndSARS protests, when young Nigerians across the country rose against the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), a notorious police unit accused of extrajudicial killings, torture, and extortion. Despite the government’s announcement of SARS’ dissolution on October 11, 2020, reports of police violence have continued unabated.
Rights groups such as Amnesty International have repeatedly documented cases of unlawful killings, excessive use of force, and attacks on peaceful demonstrators, accusing the Nigerian police of operating with systemic impunity.
For many in Ibeju-Lekki, Thursday night’s killing is another grim reminder that police reforms remain far from reality. As one protester was heard shouting in a video: “How many more people must die before justice comes?”
BY Haruna Yakubu Haruna
