There was pandemonium on Saturday after a yet-to-be-identified father of a bride and a hypeman, identified simply as Victor, were shot dead by suspected cultists on Governor’s Road in the Ikotun area of Lagos State.
PUNCH Metro learnt that the incident occurred on Oviawe Street in the community shortly after a wedding ceremony had been concluded and guests had moved to an after-party.
It was gathered that the assailants stormed the venue while the celebration was still ongoing, as guests scampered for safety.
A resident who identified himself simply as Tosin said Victor was entertaining guests when the attackers struck.
He said, “They were holding an after-party after the wedding ceremony was held at an event centre on Governor’s Road. It was during the celebration that the gunmen entered their midst and opened fire indiscriminately.
“This made everyone present run for their lives. They then went straight to Victor, dragged him outside onto the street and started hitting him with dangerous weapons.”
Another resident, who did not want his name mentioned due to the sensitive nature of the incident, said the bride’s father, who was uncomfortable with the attack, decided to intervene and was shot in the process.
The source further disclosed that the attack might not have been directly connected to the wedding but could be linked to ongoing rival cult clashes in the community.
“This area has been experiencing cult-related issues for some time. It is possible that the attackers were trailing someone or targeting a rival, but innocent people ended up as victims,” the source added.
Speaking about one of the victims, a resident who preferred to be called Steve, said Victor was a known person in the community.
“I was inside when my wife told me that something had happened outside. When I got outside, I was told Victor was involved in the incident. It was later that I realised that he was someone I usually see on our street. He has a small stature.”
As of the time of filing this report, the identities of the bride’s father and the attackers had yet to be ascertained.
When contacted on Monday, the spokesperson for the Lagos State Police Command confirmed the incident.
“The matter is being investigated; it will be transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department, Panti, today unfailingly,” she said.
The incident adds to the number of cult-related activities in the community and the state as a whole, even as the state Commissioner of Police, Fatai Tijani, continues to engage stakeholders on curbing its occurrence.
PUNCH metro reported in April that three yet-to-be-identified male adults were hacked to death by suspected cultists while returning from a birthday party in the Lagos Island area of the state.
