Lagos Butcher Assassinated Inside Military Barracks Market

Pandemonium rocked the Mammy Market section of the Ojo Military Barracks in Lagos State on Saturday after masked gunmen stormed the busy area and assassinated a butcher identified simply as Ridwan.

The daylight attack, which occurred around 8 a.m., has heightened tension and security fears among residents and traders, especially following a similar fatal shooting incident near the same barracks just last month.

Eyewitness accounts indicate that four yet-to-be-identified gunmen, wearing masks, entered the market and immediately fired several shots into the air. The sudden burst of gunfire sent traders and customers scattering in a desperate attempt to flee the chaos.

The assailants, however, appeared to have a specific target. After clearing the area, they reportedly headed directly to Ridwan’s meat stall, cornered him, and opened fire multiple times before making a swift escape.

“We were just opening for business when we heard gunshots. Everyone left what they were doing and ran away,” said Mummy Blessing, a trader who witnessed the event. “Before we knew it, the men who were wearing masks went straight to where Ridwan was selling meat, shot him, and fled. When we all came back, we saw him in a pool of blood.”

Another trader, Musa, suggested that the victim’s stall location—close to a corner in the market—may have played a role, preventing him from finding an escape route during the shooting.

Speculations and Lack of Official Response
The motivation behind the calculated killing remains unclear, though there is speculation among traders that the attack may have been carried out by suspected cultists. The deceased was buried shortly after the incident, in line with Islamic rites.

Efforts to save Ridwan’s life after the shooting proved futile. An attempt to rush him to the barracks’ medical facility was unsuccessful as he was reportedly rejected and referred elsewhere.

The incident underscores serious security lapses within a supposedly secure military environment. When contacted, the spokesperson for the Lagos State Police Command, Abimbola Adebisi, claimed to be unaware of the development, stating that no such incident had been reported at the local police station with jurisdiction. She did, however, note that the Commissioner of Police has tasked the tactical squad with continuous patrol to stamp out cultism and related crimes.

ADVERTISEMENT

The spokesperson for the 81 Division of the Army, Olabisi Ayeni, could not be reached for comment on the security breach inside the military facility.

Recurring Violence Near the Barracks
This attack is the second major shooting incident in the Ojo area near the military barracks in a month. In September, gunmen attacked a crowded snooker spot at the Onireke bus-stop, killing four people, including a noodles vendor, and injuring a 14-year-old boy with a stray bullet.

The recurring acts of violence have led residents to issue an urgent plea for an increased and more effective security presence both within and surrounding the Ojo Cantonment to protect lives and prevent further attacks.