Machete Attack Outside Lekki Cinema Leaves Two Feared Dead

LAGOS

Two people are feared dead after a machete-wielding man attacked a security officer and another individual in the car park of Filmhouse Cinemas IMAX in Lekki, Lagos, in an assault that unfolded just as moviegoers were leaving a late screening.

No arrest has been announced, and the attacker’s identity and motive remain unknown as investigations continue; Filmhouse Group, which is not itself accused of any wrongdoing, says it is cooperating fully with authorities.

How the night unfolded

The incident happened in the early hours of Saturday, shortly after the cinema’s audience for a screening of Odyssey, which ran from around 10 p.m. to about 2 a.m., began stepping out.

According to an eyewitness account from sports journalist Buchi Laba, shared on X and cited by Daily Sun, the assailant confronted two individuals at the car park, who resisted him and prevented him from reaching the cinema’s interior.

ADVERTISEMENT

Laba said one victim was stabbed in the chest and the other in the back, and that one of them died while being taken to hospital.

The company’s response

Filmhouse Group confirmed the attack in a statement issued later Saturday, describing it as “a security incident that took place outside the premises” and stressing it was unrelated to the cinema’s regular operations.

The company praised the two victims, saying their resistance “helped prevent further danger and restore safety,” and added that it had introduced additional security measures across its locations while the investigation continues.

What’s still unclear

The exact number of confirmed casualties, the attacker’s motive, and whether any arrest has since been made were not confirmed as of this report. ValidViewNetwork will continue to monitor the case as Lagos State Police and Filmhouse’s own security review proceed.