A tragic incident has occurred in the Ijede area of Ikorodu, Lagos State, as gunmen brutally murdered Oluwatosin Onamade, an aspirant for the chairmanship position of Ijede Local Council Development Area (LCDA) under the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The attack, which took place on Saturday night, has left the community in shock, raising concerns about political violence in the area.
According to his brother, Oluwafemi Onamade, the assailants had been monitoring the deceased for some time before launching their fatal attack.
“It happened around 9 pm on Saturday. They were two gunmen. They were wearing black outfits and no one could recognise them. His aide said he could not wait when he heard gunshots.
They shot at him and macheted him in front of his house. It happened at his house in Ijede, Oluwatosin Onamade Street. The street is named after him,” Oluwafemi recounted.
The attackers reportedly shot at Onamade, but when the bullets failed to penetrate, they resorted to using machetes to inflict fatal wounds on his head and face.
His brother strongly suspects that the murder is linked to his political aspirations, stating,
“They know he had an upper hand and many followers.”
Meanwhile, it has been revealed that this was not the first attempt on Onamade’s life.
In 2021, he survived a similar attack, during which his staff member, Ifeanyi Godfrey, was killed.
In an interview with The PUNCH in 2021, the deceased had narrated his terrifying ordeal with alleged political assassins.
“The day the incident occurred was Friday, April 16, 2021.
But the Sunday (April 11) before that day, somebody called me (on the phone) to say they were coming to destroy the APC leadership meeting which usually held in my house.
I said, ‘From who?’ The person told me it was from ‘the top,’ sponsored by a leader in the LGA and I said, ‘No problem.
If that is the case, I have to hire some military men and other security officers to secure the entrance of my house,’” Onamade had said.
He further revealed that when the assailants could not access his compound, they resorted to destroying campaign banners and went as far as attacking the APC secretariat in Ijede LCDA.
During the attack, his staff member was brutally murdered.
“They killed one of my staff members, Mr. Ifeanyi Godfrey, who was also an executive member on my campaign committee.
They butchered him, shot him in the head, and threw his body into an empty coffin, where he worked in a funeral home,” he had recounted.
Despite these earlier threats, the perpetrators have now succeeded in their mission, leaving many wondering about the state of security for political figures in Lagos.
A close friend of Onamade, who chose to remain anonymous, expressed his sorrow over the incident, stating,
“The PUNCH did the story in 2021 of one of his numerous survivors of their attempts, including one in which they killed his worker. They have finally taken him out.”
Furthermore, concerns have been raised about the level of political violence in Ijede, with many calling on authorities to intervene.
His friend added, “He was a strong contender. Situations like that have been rampant in Ijede and call for serious attention from authorities.”
Meanwhile, the Lagos State Police Command has assured the public that an investigation is underway.
When contacted, the Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, CSP Benjamin Hundeyin, confirmed that the command is aware of the incident and efforts are being made to unravel the circumstances surrounding the murder.
“Investigation has commenced into the incident,” Hundeyin said in a text message.
The brutal assassination of Onamade has once again highlighted the dangers faced by political aspirants, especially at the grassroots level.
Residents and supporters of the late aspirant are now looking to the authorities to ensure that justice is served and that political violence is brought to an end in Ijede and beyond.
