Investigations revealed that earlier before the attack, a slum in the Abule-Ado area, where people lived in makeshift houses and shops, caught fire, at 9 a.m. While residents of the slum scampered for the safety, the said hoodlums had taken advantage of the situation to rob the distressed residents.
Members of the Ado Royal family who had gone to sympathise with residents at the slum witnessed the massive looting by the hoodlums. Rilwan and Tobi, both members of the Ado family, cautioned a hoodlum who had allegedly stolen a television set, insisting he returned it.
Angered by the directive, the hoodlum had threatened to deal with the duo. News later reached the Ado family that the hoodlums were spoiling for war.
To avert any form of crisis, chief Murtala, who was alerted of the intended attack, had invited the leader of the hoodlums, Lawal Akeem for a peace talk.
Akeem alleged got to the family office about 9 p.m. that Friday, for the talk with Chief Murtala and other representatives of the Ado family.
It was shortly after his arrival, that the hoodlums, stormed the Ado family office with dangerous arms. Murtala ran into one of the offices to take cover, he was trailed by the hoodlums and attacked with machetes. He sustained severe head injuries and other parts of his body were also wounded. Several other members of the family were also injured.
Murtala and other injured persons were rushed to a private hospital in satellite town, but unfortunately, he died on Monday after several attempts by doctors to save his life.
An eyewitness, Afeez Olorunkemi, who spoke on the incident said Akeem had told Murtala not to run while the hoodlums were approaching the family office, promising to handle his boys.
Olorunkemi said, “ The hoodlums are members of Oodua Peoples Congress (OPC). We were all with Chief Murtala when he was having a discussion with Akeem, the OPC coordinator. It was barely 30minutes after they had started discussing that we saw a group of guys, they were almost 50 of them, coming towards the office.
“ They were brandishing guns, machetes, axes and even carried sacks and wheelbarrow loaded with bottles.
Murtala and all of us seated were afraid and thought of running for safety, Akeem insisted we sit down, that he was in charge and will handle his boys. We took his word for it and sat down. But before we knew what was happening, the boys started throwing bottles, we ran to different parts of the office.
“ As men who were on a mission, they pursued us, they caught Chief Murtala, he was injured on the head, face and other parts of his body with a machete. Prince Fasiu Ado was also injured in the head.
In Fasiu’s case, he ran into the toilet and hid under the washbasin. When the hoodlums rushed towards the bathroom and did not see him, they had out of anger, hit the washbasin with an axe, which broke and fell on his head.
“ Others also sustained serious and minor injuries. What surprised me was even the fact that Akeem who had asked us not to run, fled when he noticed the boys had become violent. Akeem entered a waiting bus and drove off. We took Chief Murtala to the hospital, but he gave up on Sunday. The hoodlums even made away with the money. They also robbed some residents. “
Asked if they alerted the police on a possible crisis, Olorunkemi said the Trdefair police division was called and informed of the situation and even begged to be on standby before the hoodlums attacked the Ado family.
“ we informed the Trade Fair police division of a likely attack by this set of hoodlums, based on the information we got, but it was surprising that they did not show up. It was only after the attack, and we had gone to the Division to complain, that the police came around to see the level of damage, even the divisional Police Officer was here. But it was after the harm had been done. “
Another eyewitness identified some of the hoodlums. The source who did not want his name mentioned, said: “ Some of the boys that attacked us were Sunday, Fatia, Okocha, Ali, Jacob, Saheed Abore and Sodique Rafiu.”
The correspondent visited the Trade Fair Police Division to know the state of the investigation. However, the Division Police Officer (DPO), denied knowledge of the matter, saying the case was never reported at the division.
Contrary to DPO’s claim, a police source at the division told the correspondent that the matter was reported, seven suspects were arrested and the case had been transferred to the Homicide Section of the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department, Panti, Yaba.
The Lagos Police Public Relations Officer (PRO), Elkana Bala, was contacted for comments on the incident. Bala did not respond to calls. A text message was also sent to him, but he was yet to respond as at the time of filing in this report.
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