Re: Gunmen kill businessman, son, pregnant wife, friend in Lagos

Etim Ekpimah

The Nigeria Police Force, Lagos State Command, on Friday discredited report by New Telegraph that the businessman, members of his family, and friend were not killed by gunmen.

According to the police, there was nothing to show that the victims were killed by gunmen as there no marks nor gun wounds found on their bodies.

They added that on the day of the incident, there was no report of robbery in any form or shape around the area.

This was contained in a statement from the Police Public Relations Officer, Lagos State Command, CSP Adekunle Ajisebutu (MNIPR).

The statement read: “Attention of the Lagos State Police Command has been drawn to a newspaper publication with the above caption on page 6 of the August 12, 2021, edition of the New Telegraph.

“This reaction becomes imperative to put the record straight in the interest of the deceased’s family and the public who may not be privy to true account of the unfortunate but sad incident.

“Contrary to the newspaper report, the victims were not killed by gunmen. Eyewitness account from the deceased woman’s sister who herself slept in the same house with the deceased did not mention occurrence of armed robbery or assassination.

“According to account of the witness, she discovered the lifeless bodies of the victims in the morning of 11th August 11, 2021, and alerted neighbours.

“On close observation, there were no marks of violence seen on the victims who were immediately evacuated to the hospital where they were confirmed dead by a medical doctor.”

The statement noted that another surviving victim, a brother to the businessman, was rushed to a government facility in Ikorodu where he was treated and later discharged.

“Preliminary enquiry revealed that the deceased could not have been and were indeed not killed by gunmen as no armed robbery incident occurred in the house or its environs before or after the discovery of the bodies. It is strongly suspected that victims may have died as a result of inhaling a poisonous substance,” the statement added.

Meanwhile, the corpses have been released to the family for burial according to Muslim rites since the family vehemently objected to post-mortem examination.

The statement added that the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, CP Hakeem Odumosu, has directed the State Criminal Investigation Department to carry out a discreet investigation into the circumstances surrounding the sad incident.

Notwithstanding the circumstances of their death, the Commissioner of Police uses this medium to sincerely commiserate with the bereaved family in whose pain he shares at this moment of grief.