No Case to Answer in Owode Traders’ Killing, Lagos Govt Insists

No Case to Answer in Owode Traders’ Killing, Lagos Govt Insists
Cites Lack of Evidence
Pedro disclosed that additional evidence, including post mortem reports, ballistic analysis and firearm examination reports, was requested from the police but not provided within the stipulated timeframe

The Lagos State Government has denied allegations that it is protecting suspects linked to the killing of six traders at Owode Onirin, maintaining that its decision not to prosecute was strictly based on insufficient evidence.

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Eko Hot Blog reports that in a detailed response, the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Lawal Pedro, SAN, dismissed a publication titled “Is Lagos State Shielding Killers?” describing it as “false, misleading and unsupported by facts.”

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The controversy stems from the August 27, 2025 incident involving Inspector Manu Bala and four other police officers.

Pedro explained that the case file was forwarded to the Ministry of Justice by the police in line with legal procedure for review and advice after preliminary investigations.

However, after examining witness statements, accounts of suspects and other evidence, the ministry found no direct link connecting the officers to the deaths of the traders.

“For instance, there was no eyewitness account in the case file confirming that the policemen shot the deceased, despite the incident allegedly occurring in a busy market,” he stated.

According to him, available evidence suggested that traders attacked the police team at a disputed land site, during which an officer was disarmed.

“The police inspector was assaulted and had to be rescued and rushed to a nearby hospital,” Pedro added, noting that the only civilian arrested was later found not to have been at the scene.

He said the ministry initially refrained from issuing a no case to answer advice and instead directed the police to carry out further investigations.

Pedro disclosed that additional evidence, including post mortem reports, ballistic analysis and firearm examination reports, was requested from the police but not provided within the stipulated timeframe.

“It was only after about six months of incarceration and no response from the police that the ministry issued its legal advice on March 3, 2026, concluding that no prima facie case had been disclosed against the suspects,” he said.

The Attorney General noted that charges of conspiracy and involuntary manslaughter were subsequently recommended for withdrawal due to lack of evidence.

He, however, stressed that the matter is not closed and could be revisited if new evidence emerges.

No Case to Answer in Owode Traders’ Killing, Lagos Govt Insists — Lawal Pedro

“In the event that any new evidence emerges linking any suspect to the crime, the ministry will not hesitate to prosecute, as there is no time bar for criminal prosecution,” he said.

Pedro also revealed that the police later submitted provisional reports after the legal advice had been issued, adding that the documents are currently under review.

Defending the ministry’s decision, he insisted that declining to prosecute without sufficient evidence is a constitutional duty.

“The decision not to prosecute where evidence is insufficient is not an act of protection it is an ethical and constitutional obligation to prevent wrongful prosecution,” he said.

“Justice is not a one way traffic but three way traffic. It must serve the victim, the suspect and society at large,” he added.

He warned against what he described as misleading narratives, noting that prosecutions driven by speculation or emotion could undermine the justice system.

The state government reaffirmed its commitment to the rule of law, stressing that all decisions would continue to be guided by evidence, fairness and due process.