A mechanic identified simply as Samson has been killed after he was allegedly lured to the Abijo area of Ibeju-Lekki, Lagos State, on the pretext of repairing a car.
The Telegraph learnt from a police source on Thursday that the incident occurred on Tuesday, September 15.
Samson was said to operate a mechanic workshop around the Warike Estate area of the community.
According to the source, he was contacted to repair a Mercedes-Benz and travelled to the location where the vehicle was reportedly parked.
Upon arrival, he was allegedly taken into a nearby bush and hacked to death.
“The victim was lured to the location on the pretext of going to repair a Mercedes-Benz car. We were told that when he got there, he was taken into the bush and killed.
“Investigation is ongoing to establish the circumstances surrounding the killing and identify those responsible,” the source said.
The source added that suspected cultists were believed to be behind the killing, although the circumstances and motive had yet to be established by investigators.
Meanwhile, an anti-cultism advocacy platform, in a post seen by The Telegraph on Thursday, claimed that Samson’s killing was an act of retaliation.
The platform alleged that the incident was linked to the killing of an Eiye member identified as Ola Sheu, who was reportedly killed by members of the NBM around Adeba Bus Stop in Lakowe, Ibeju-Lekki, on September 9.
It further claimed that Sheu’s alleged affiliation was not widely known until a photograph of him wearing an Aye cult beret during his graduation was shared online to mark his birthday.
The platform alleged that the photograph exposed his identity to rival cultists, who subsequently targeted Samson in retaliation.
The claims have not been independently verified.
When contacted on Sunday, the state Police Public Relations Officer, Abimbola Adebisi, confirmed the incident.
She said, however, that the deceased’s family had initially reported to the police that Samson was missing.
“Following the receipt of the information, detectives reportedly swung into action and visited the victim’s apartment.
“Efforts are ongoing to track Samson’s mobile phone and locate him. The case remains under investigation,” she said.
The main improvement is separating confirmed police information from the advocacy platform’s allegations, so the story does not present the alleged cult motive as established fact.
