TRAGIC: Lagos gunmen kill man, two sons, injure wife, daughters

There was a bloodbath on Thursday in the Ipakodo, Ikorodu area of Lagos State, after some gunmen invaded a residence and shot dead a man and his two sons.

It was learnt that the attackers, who were suspected to be sent, after killing the man, Celestine Nwokoye, and his sons, also shot his wife and his two daughters, leaving them for dead.

Our correspondent gathered that the incident occurred on Thursday on Agbose Street in the Ebute, Ipakodo area around 5am.

It was learnt that policemen from the Ipakodo division removed the victims’ corpses.

The wife and the injured daughters were said to have been rushed to the Ikorodu General Hospital, where they are currently receiving treatment.

PUNCH Metro learnt that the two deceased sons were three years old and two months old.

A resident of Ebute, who visited the scene, but did not want his name in print, said the attackers were suspected to be sent.

He said, “The man’s house is located on Agbose Street, off Oluodo Junction. He worked at a taxi park in the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja. The killers came on Thursday morning. They shot him and all the members of his family. He and two male children died instantly, while they left his wife and the two daughters with bullet injuries.

“The attackers were not robbers; they went to only the man’s apartment. I was told that they did not take away any property. That is why everyone suspects that the killers were sent. They shot all members of his family presumably, so that no one would be able to report to the police.

“But policemen from the Ipakodo division later came to our area to take photographs and remove the bodies. The policemen were all over our area.”

A landlord, identified only as Abimbola, told PUNCH Metro that the attackers could also be suspected rapists, known popularly in the area as Badoo, who had been terrorising and attacking residents.

 “A week ago, a man and his child were attacked and stabbed to death in the Oke-Awori community in the Ibeshe area. Armed rapists, known as Badoo, attacked the man and his child. They stabbed them to death. So, I suspect the attackers of Nwokoye could be Badoo. The police have a lot of work to do in our area,” he added.

A police source said Nwokoye and his family members were attacked on the premises of a church in the area.

The Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, SP Dolapo Badmos, confirmed the deaths.

She added that the command had got some leads on the incident, and investigation was ongoing.

She said, “There was a report that the man and all members of his family were found in a pool of blood. He and his two male children were confirmed dead.

“His wife and two daughters were also seriously injured and they have been taken to a hospital for treatment.

“The command is working assiduously to unravel the occurrence. We have some leads which we are working on, and we are optimistic of breaking through.”

SOURCE: PUNCH