Army Probes Fatal Shooting of Ogun Govt Worker During Demolition Clash

ABEOKUTA – The Nigerian Army’s 35 Artillery Brigade in Alamala, Abeokuta, has launched an official Board of Inquiry following the fatal shooting of a government labourer, Oluwaseyi Adeoye, during a heated confrontation at a demolition site on Monday.

​Adeoye, a 35-year-old worker attached to the Ogun State Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development, was part of an enforcement team led by a Mr. Hamzat. The team had arrived at Ganic Company, located along the Sagamu-Abeokuta Expressway in Orile-Imo, to carry out an authorized demolition of illegal structures when they were intercepted by military personnel stationed at the location.

​A Clash of Authorities

​According to eyewitness accounts, tensions escalated rapidly when the soldiers on the ground objected to the demolition exercise. A survivor from the government team alleged that the disagreement turned violent when a soldier, reportedly acting in anger, opened fire on the group.

​“They actually wanted to kill everyone, but we had to scamper for safety,” one labourer recounted, noting that the seven police officers accompanying the team were unable to intervene during the chaos. Adeoye was struck by a bullet and died instantly at the scene. His remains have since been deposited at the State General Hospital morgue in Ijaye, Abeokuta.

​Army Pledges Accountability

​In a statement released Tuesday, Major Idereghi Akari, the Assistant Director of Army Public Relations for the 35 Artillery Brigade, expressed the military’s “sincerest condolences” to the victim’s family.

​“Headquarters 35 Artillery Brigade has taken cognizance of allegations surrounding an incident at a demolition site… involving a soldier and a labourer, reportedly resulting in a fatality,” the statement read. Major Akari emphasized that the Brigade is committed to transparency and that the findings of the newly constituted Board of Inquiry will be made public upon completion.

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​Ongoing Police Investigation

​The Ogun State Police Command has also confirmed the incident. Police Public Relations Officer, Oluseyi Babaseyi, stated that a formal investigation is underway to identify all personnel involved and uncover the root cause of the shooting.

​Family members and colleagues of the deceased have called for swift justice, lamenting that Adeoye lost his life while performing a low-wage daily job for the state government.