THE Centre for Human and Socio-economic Rights (CHSR) has called on the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Tijani Fatai to demonstrate firm leadership by ensuring that the trial of suspects linked to the gruesome murder of two Ajiran indigenes – Mr. Sheriff Ishola Salami and Prince Kazeem Ademola Akinloye commence without further delay.
The
President of CHSR, Comrade Alex Omotehinse, who made the appeal on Monday at a
press conference in Lagos, also demanded that the suspects should be promptly
arraigned before a court of competent jurisdiction to enhance unimpeded trial.
Omotehinse
said the two separate incidents, which occurred in April 2023 and August 2024
respectively, remain stark reminders of the grave threat posed by organised
violence and the urgent need for institutional accountability.
He
said the CHSR, acting within its statutory mandate to defend justice and
protect citizens’ rights, considers it imperative to address the public on the
trajectory of the incidents leading to ongoing trial, particularly in the light
of emerging facts, procedural concerns, and attempts to derail the course of
justice.
Omotehinse
added that beyond a mere criminal investigation, this matter has evolved into a
broader scrutiny of the integrity of Nigeria’s justice system, the resilience
of law enforcement institutions, and the collective will of society to resist
impunity.
He
said: “It is on record that the immediate past Commissioner of Police in Lagos
State, now Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG) Moshood
Olohundare Jimoh, made concerning disclosure while briefing journalists at the
Police Command Headquarters, Ikeja on February 19, 2026. According to him, the
declaration of Alhaji Ahmed Tajudeen Akanbi as a wanted person followed the
arrest and confessional statements of two principal suspects directly linked to
the killings.
“The
Commissioner stated that Safiu Fatai (a.k.a. Fabo, 40) and Yusuf Ismaila
(a.k.a. Bariga) were apprehended on January 24, 2026, and February 6, 2026,
respectively, after the Command reopened investigations into the murder
incidents; upon the emergence of new and compelling evidence.
“According
to Mr. Moshood Olohundare Jimoh, the suspects confessed to their roles in the
murder of Sheriff Salami Ishola, aged 37, who was killed on April 18, 2023, at
about 3:00 p.m. in Moba Town, Eti-Osa, as well as Prince Ademola Akinloye, aged
38, who was shot dead on August 26, 2024, along Chevron Road, Ajiran.”
He
noted that the police narrative further established that on April 18, 2023, at
about 1500 hours, Safiu Fatai, Yusuf Ismaila, Soji Mascot, and one Kenny armed
with a locally fabricated pistol, axe, and machetes ambushed Sheriff Salami
Ishola. The victim was forcibly taken into an isolated building along Mobile
Road in Moba, Ajah, where he was restrained and shot multiple times at close
range, leading to his immediate death. The assailants thereafter fled the
scene.
On the
second incident, he said the same group reportedly adopted a similar modus
operandi in the killing of Prince Ademola Akinloye, son of Oba Adetunji
Akinloye, the Ojomu of Ajiran Land. The attack occurred on August 26, 2024, at
about 11:00 a.m. along Chevron Road, where the victim was shot repeatedly
leading to his death from gunshot injuries.
He
said further disclosures from suspects in custody revealed that both crimes
were allegedly carried out on the orders of Akanbi, who is accused of
sponsoring the operations, with the claim that they were paid the sum of N2
million, with an initial disbursement of N500,000 to each principal actor
shortly after the first killing, alongside promises of additional rewards,
including opportunities for foreign travel and enhanced social status.
The
CHSR stressed that while the revelations provide a disturbing but necessary
insight into the nature of the crimes, it expresses serious concern over
procedural delays and the handling of the case, particularly in relation to
timely prosecution, adding that such delays risk creating legal loopholes that
may be exploited to obstruct justice.
“Equally
troubling are the activities of certain individuals and groups who, under the
guise of civil society advocacy, are actively promoting narratives aimed at
discrediting the investigative process as well as obstructing the cause of
justice. The antics of these self-styled agitators are not only inimical to the
cause of justice but constitute a direct threat to peace and orderliness in the
society.
“We
are also alarmed by attempts to weaponise legal processes, including the
pursuit of restraining orders, to frustrate legitimate authority of law
enforcement agencies. This pattern raises concerns regarding coordinated
attempts to undermine due process.”
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