A significant new development has emerged in the Owode-Onirin Market land dispute, with detectives from the Homicide Section of the Lagos State Police Command’s State Criminal Investigations Department (SCID) initiating an investigation into the identities of individuals reportedly killed during the August 27 clash.
The move comes amid reports suggesting that the bodies presented as deceased traders may actually belong to suspected cult members whose remains were found earlier in a river in the Ikorodu area of the state.
Sources at the Lagos SCID, speaking anonymously, confirmed to journalists that detectives visited the Ikorodu mortuary over the weekend as part of their preliminary investigations.
The investigation fueled by claims of the legal team representing businessman Akeem Ariori, Chairman/CEO of Prosperous Ariori Golden Venture, who was quickly declared wanted by the police following the incident.
A counsel to Mr. Ariori, Barrister Olayinka Sanni, welcomed the police probe, stating, “The police are working on their preliminary investigations so far. I knew that it would get to this.”
The lawyer launched a strong challenge to the claims of the traders, who alleged that seven people died, an increase from the police’s initial figure of three.
“Up till now, no single member of those who were allegedly killed has come to report or make any official statement at the SCID Panti,” the lawyer stressed. “If truly seven traders died at the market on that day, let us have their identities, their shops and their picture. Where are the videos from the scene of the killing?”
The legal counsel reiterated previous allegations that the crisis is being fueled by ethnic bias, stating that the “majority of the traders are using the fact that they are from the same community with the Commissioner of Police in Lagos State to cause pandemonium.”
The lawyer commended the Lagos State Attorney General (AG) for insisting on due process, stating that the AG had demonstrated commitment to the rule of law.
According to the counsel, prior to the August 27 attack, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu had mandated the Attorney General to mediate the dispute involving three parties: the local government (landlord), Mr. Ariori’s company, and the traders.
“After different court judgments in our favour, the Attorney General advised them that they don’t even have any issue with me as the court had already decided and he advised them to let me go ahead with my construction,” the lawyer explained.
The legal team also criticized the silence from the Lagos Police Command regarding the armed men who invaded the market and attacked policemen who were on lawful duty and were duly approved to be at the site.
The lawyer revealed that just before the attack, the traders, allegedly led by a certain Sunday, had destroyed Mr. Ariori’s office and carted away building materials a matter already under investigation by the Zone 2 Police Command.
The counsel called on the Inspector General of Police and Governor Sanwo-Olu to institute an independent investigation into the matter to unravel all collaborators responsible for the protracted crisis at the market.
