Some yet-to-be-identified gunmen have shot dead a 20-year-old student, Sharafadeen Ajao, and injured two others in
the Oworonshoki area of Lagos.
Our correspondent learnt that Sharafadeen, who finished from secondary school in 2014, was preparing to sit for this year's
West African Senior Secondary Certificate Examinations in May.
PUNCH Metro gathered that the gunmen, who were two masked persons, came on a
motorcycle to Odugbemi Street at about 8.30pm on Monday, February 9, and shot Sharafadeen dead.
The attackers also proceeded to L&K Street in the area and injured two other persons who were said to be receiving treatments in a private hospital.
Our correspondent learnt that Sharafadeen, who was also learning fashion designing, was in his boss' shop when the gunmen shot him.
It was gathered that the lad was immediately rushed to the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, Ikeja, where he later died.
Our correspondent learnt that
Sharafadeen's boss, who arrived later to hear about the matter, reported the case to the Oworonshoki Police Division.
When PUNCH Metro visited the area, a resident on Odugbemi Street, Mr. Akin Shehu, said he suspected that the gunmen
came on a reprisal and mistook Sharafadeen for one of their rivals.
He noted that the deceased was an easy-going person who was only a victim of cult violence.
He said, "I was also relaxing in front of my shop on that evening when the men rode
by. When I heard the gunshots, I thought it was the sound of a firecracker. Within two minutes, they had left, and we rushed to the shop and met Sharafadeen in a pool of
blood.
"He was a devout muslim, and had just returned from the 8pm prayer when the assailants shot him. What happened was that the gunmen might have come for one Segun, who was an apprentist in the same shop.
"But when electioneering campaigns started, Segun left and joined political thugs. They
had been moving round Bariga area to injure and kill one another. On that Monday morning, Segun was spotted on this street with some old friends. I think the gunmen came after him."
Another resident, who begged for anonymity, told our correspondent that ever since the unrest at the Iyanaoworo
campaign, political thugs and gunmen had been attacking one another on some streets, urging the police to strengthen
security in the Oworonshoki area.
When our correspondent got to Francis Olatunji Street where Sharafadeen lived, his elder brother, Mr. Abdulrazak Ajao, said the family was shocked at Sharafadeen's death considering that he never took part in any cult or political violence.
He said, "When we rushed him to the hospital, the doctors said he stood no
chance of survival because he had lost so much blood. He was the last child of the family. We lost our mother barely six
months ago.
"He was learning fashion designing so that he would not be bored. His main focus was
to sit for the WASSCE in May. His death is a shock to the whole family."
The Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Kenneth Nwosu, confirmed the incident, adding that the police were
making efforts to apprehend the attackers.
He said, "The family requested the boy's corpse from the police, and they have buried him according to Islamic rites.
Meanwhile, efforts are on to arrest the attackers. Investigations are ongoing on the matter."
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