- Court remands four police officers over killing of traders in Lagos market.
- Officers accused of shooting victims with AK 47 rifles during attack.
- Court awaits legal advice from Director of Public Prosecutions.
An Ebute Metta Chief Magistrates’ Court in Lagos on Tuesday ordered the remand of four officers of the Nigeria Police Force accused of shooting and killing traders at the Owode Onirin International Spare Parts Market.
The defendants, identified as Manu Bala, Jibrin Samaila, Ibrahim Garuba and Ibrahim Kashimu, were remanded at the Kirikiri Custodial Centre pending legal advice from the Director of Public Prosecutions.
The officers are facing a seven count charge bordering on conspiracy and murder.
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EKO HOT BLOG reports that during the proceedings, the police prosecutor, O. W. Ologun, told the court that the alleged offences occurred on August 27, 2025, at about 9 a.m. at the Owode Onirin market in Lagos.
According to the prosecutor, the four defendants allegedly conspired with other suspects who are still at large to carry out the attack at the busy spare parts market.
Ologun alleged that the suspects used AK 47 rifles to shoot several traders during the incident.
“The defendants and others at large conspired and shot several traders to death with AK 47 rifles,” the prosecutor told the court.
The charge sheet filed by the Nigeria Police Force through the Commissioner of Police listed six victims who were allegedly killed during the attack.
The victims were identified as Bamidele Dare Mufutau, Adebayo Adewale Mathew, Adeoye Taiye, Abraham Idowu Temilola, Akinboye Oluwaseyi Olamilekan and Akeem Aderemi Adeoye.
Ologun informed the court that the alleged offences contravene Sections 223 and 233 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.
He explained that the suspects were brought before the court primarily to obtain a remand order pending legal advice from the Director of Public Prosecutions.
According to him, the legal advice would determine whether sufficient evidence exists to establish a prima facie case against the accused officers.
“The advice will determine whether a prima facie case has been established against them,” Ologun said.
Counsel to the defendants, Azuri Ejiofor, however, urged the court to reject the prosecution’s request for a remand order.
Ejiofor argued that the accused officers had already spent more than five months in detention before being brought before the court.
Despite the objection, the court ordered that the defendants be remanded at the Kirikiri Custodial Centre pending legal advice from the Director of Public Prosecutions.
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