William Kayode
Pandemonium erupted on Saturday at the Mammy Market inside a military barracks in Ojo Local Government Area, Lagos State, when unidentified gunmen stormed the market and fatally shot a butcher identified as Ridwan.
According to eyewitnesses, around 8 a.m., approximately four masked assailants entered the busy market, firing shots into the air. Traders and customers fled in all directions as the gunmen made their way directly to Ridwan’s stall, shooting him multiple times before fleeing the scene.
One trader, Mummy Blessing, recounted, “We were just opening for business when we heard gunshots. Everyone ran. The men went straight to where Ridwan was selling meat, shot him, and left. When we returned, he was lying in a pool of blood.” Another eyewitness, Musa, noted that the stall’s corner location left Ridwan with no escape route, contributing to the tragedy.
Efforts to save Ridwan’s life were unsuccessful. He was initially taken to the barracks clinic but was referred elsewhere and later pronounced dead.
Speculation suggests the attack may have been carried out by suspected cultists, although authorities have yet to confirm this. The deceased was buried according to Islamic rites.
When contacted, Lagos State Police spokesperson Abimbola Adebisi stated that no official report had been received but confirmed that the Command has intensified patrols and deployed additional officers to curb cultism and related crimes in the area. The 81 Division Army spokesperson, Olabisi Ayeni, could not be reached for comment.
This incident echoes a previous attack in September 2025, when four people were killed at a snooker spot near the barracks, highlighting ongoing security concerns in the Ojo area and prompting residents to call for heightened protection within and around the military installations.