An Ebute Metta Chief Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday ordered the remand of four officers of the Nigeria Police Force accused of shooting and killing traders at the Owode Onirin International Spare Parts Market.
PrimeTimes Nigeria reports that the defendants, Manu Bala, Jibrin Samaila, Ibrahim Garuba, and Ibrahim Kashimu, were remanded at the Kirikiri Custodial Centre pending legal advice from the Director of Public Prosecutions.
The officers are facing a seven-count charge bordering on conspiracy and murder.
During the court proceedings, the police prosecutor, O. W. Ologun, told the court that the alleged offences occurred on August 27, 2025, at about 9 a.m. at the Owode Onirin market in Lagos.
According to the prosecutor, the four defendants allegedly conspired with other suspects still at large to carry out the attack.
Ologun alleged that the suspects used AK-47 rifles to shoot several traders at the busy spare parts market.
“The defendants and others at large conspired and shot several traders to death with AK-47 rifles,” the prosecutor told the court.
The charge sheet filed by the Nigeria Police Force through the Commissioner of Police listed six victims who were allegedly killed during the incident.
The victims were identified as Bamidele Dare Mufutau, Adebayo Adewale Mathew, Adeoye Taiye, Abraham Idowu Temilola, Akinboye Oluwaseyi Olamilekan, and Akeem Aderemi Adeoye.
Ologun informed the court that the offences allegedly committed by the defendants contravened Sections 223 and 233 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.
The prosecutor further explained that the suspects were brought before the court primarily to obtain a remand order while awaiting legal advice from the Director of Public Prosecutions.
According to him, the legal advice would determine whether sufficient evidence exists to establish a prima facie case against the accused officers.
“The advice will determine whether a prima facie case has been established against them,” Ologun said.
However, counsel to the defendants, Azuri Ejiofor, urged the court to reject the prosecution’s application for remand.
Ejiofor argued that the accused officers had already spent more than five months in detention prior to their arraignment.
Despite the objection, the court ordered that the defendants be remanded at the Kirikiri Custodial Centre pending further legal advice on the matter.