On August 27, 2024, the Lagos State Police Command confirmed a shocking incident: the murder of Demola Akinloye, the first son of Tijani Akinloye, the Ojomu of Ajiran land. The tragic event unfolded on Monday along Chevron Drive in the Lekki area of Lagos, sending ripples of fear throughout the community and leading many residents to avoid the area.
Eyewitness reports indicate that the assassination occurred in broad daylight, a fact that has heightened anxiety among locals. An estate management notice circulated among residents urged them to steer clear of Chevron, Agungi, and Ajiran areas for their own safety. The notice read, “This is to notify all residents that the king’s son was assassinated today along Chevron Drive, close to Ebeano Supermarket. We plead with our esteemed residents to avoid these areas for now.”
Residents like Bukunmi Folahanmi expressed their concerns, stating that she would refrain from going to work due to the incident. “It’s a daylight assassination. I am not going to work again until Wednesday. Although they have deployed some vigilante members around the area, I still feel unsafe,” she said.
According to Benjamin Hundeyin, the Lagos Police Public Relations Officer, the attack occurred around 12:30 PM. A distress call alerted the police to the scene where Demola Akinloye, aged 50, had been attacked while driving his black Toyota Corolla near the Bourdillon Court Estate gate. Reports indicate that four armed men in a white minibus shot and stabbed him to death during the ambush.
The police have since visited the scene, recovered an expended cartridge, and transported the body to a morgue in Ajah, Lagos State, for preservation and autopsy. The investigation has been handed over to the State Criminal Investigation Department in Yaba for further inquiries.
A community resident, who wished to remain anonymous, recounted how the gunmen deliberately struck Akinloye’s vehicle. “When the bus hit his vehicle, he stepped out to check for damage, and that’s when the gunmen attacked him. People nearby fled for safety, and they left him bleeding on the ground,” the source revealed.
Speculation regarding the motive behind the attack has emerged within the community. Some individuals suspect that the assassination could be linked to internal power struggles, particularly those “eyeing the throne.” This theory remains unverified but has added to the tension surrounding the incident.
One family member, who chose to speak off the record, voiced the family’s devastation. “We were shocked to receive the news. This was a child the king loved dearly and cherished. He had a remarkable resemblance to his father. The atmosphere in the palace is somber; both the king and family members have ceased attending to visitors during this dark time.”
The tragic death of Demola Akinloye has not only left a family grieving but has also cast a shadow of fear over the community, prompting residents to reconsider their safety in a previously secure environment. As investigations continue, the hope remains that justice will be served and that the circumstances surrounding this tragic event will be thoroughly examined.
