Metro
Man, Pregnant Wife, Three Children, Guest Found Dead in Lagos Home
Family members and neighbours were thrown into confusion following the death of five members of a family and their guest in Lagos on Wednesday.
The corpses of an electrician, Kazeem Zakariya; his wife, Aminat; three of their children, Aliya, Firidaus and Taye, and a guest, Wasilat, were discovered in the family’s one-room apartment at No. 19 Raheem Olowora Street, Mafoluku, in the Oshodi area of the state.
PUNCH Metro gathered from eyewitnesses that their corpses were discovered when neighbours, who observed that none of the family members had come out to perform their early morning chores, broke the door of their room after they failed to respond to repeated calls.
Upon entering the room, the neighbours discovered that all the family members and their guest were lying on the floor with foamy substances and blood on their mouths.
Kazeem, Aliya, Firidaus, Taye and Wasilat were said to have died by the time neighbours forced their way into the room, while Aminat and her daughter, Kehinde, were found unconscious and were rushed to the Divine Hospital, Mafoluku, where the woman also lost her life.
Kehinde was said to be responding to treatment as of the time of filing this report.
An eyewitness, Abdulkareem Akeju, said the victims most likely died of food poisoning, adding that the incident shocked neighbours and residents of the area.
Akeju stated, “We were called upon this morning that no one from the Zakariya family had come out of their room. We knew this was unusual because his wife and children usually come out early to do their chores.
“So, the neighbours were confused and after several failed attempts at calling them, we broke down the door and when we entered the room, we saw all members of the family lying on the floor with foamy substances and blood coming out of their mouths, which fueled the suspicion of food poisoning.
“Kazeem, 42; Aliya, 11; Fridaus, eight; Taye, six; and Wasilat were all dead, but the man’s wife, Aminat, who was pregnant, and Taye’s twin sister, Kehinde, were struggling to breath and so we rushed them to the Divine Hospital in Mafoluku, but Aminat died on the way.
“Everywhere is rowdy; the neighbours are in shock and Kazeem’s brother is crying profusely. He said he was informed about the incident around 9am.”
Another eyewitness, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the deceased probably died of excessive inhalation of an insecticide, Sniper, which was likely sprayed to kill mosquitoes in the room.
The eyewitness said, “When we entered the room, aside the suspicion that the family died of food poisoning, we smelt Sniper, meaning that the family must have sprayed the room with the insecticide to kill mosquitoes. So, it is possible that the Sniper they inhaled was responsible for their death.
“As for food poisoning, neighbours said Kazeem got home around 11.45pm on Tuesday, because he stayed back in his shop to attend to some of his customers, who experienced power outage. So, if it was food poisoning, his wife and children would have died before he got home.”
Kazeem’s brother, Akeem, said he had yet to inform their parents about the tragedy, adding that an autopsy was being conducted on the corpses to ascertain the actual cause of death.
The Oyo State indigene said, “My friend, Abass Adeguroye, who resides close to the area, informed me about the incident. I quickly rushed down there but people prevented me from going inside my brother’s room because of the way I reacted to the incident. I still saw him on Monday and he never told me that anything was bothering him. We have no concrete evidence as to what caused the death, but people were saying that it was as a result of food poisoning.
“But whenever my brother’s wife cooked, she usually gave portions to neighbours and that was what she did with the last meal they had on Tuesday. Nothing happened to the neighbours, who ate the food. I am still trying to get myself together; some tests are being conducted on the corpses to unravel the true cause of this tragedy. Though I heard that one of them is responding to treatment, but I can’t confirm that and I have not informed our parents.”
The state Police Public Relations Officer, Bala Elkana, said the corpses had been recovered for autopsy in a bid to unravel the mystery surrounding the incident.
Elkana stated, “In the family, the father, wife, three children and a guest died. One child survived and is still receiving treatment. We have yet to ascertain the actual cause of death, but the autopsy will reveal what actually killed them. Some people were thinking that it was the food they ate, because a pot of rice was recovered from the room, but we also gathered that two other neighbours, who ate the meal, are alive.
“But when our personnel got to the room, they perceived the odour of Sniper insecticide; so, members of the family might have intended to use the Sniper to kill mosquitoes and slept in the room. So, that could also be the cause of death, but investigation is still ongoing.”
The Punch
Metro
Ikorodu Security: CP Tijani Launches ‘Command Sweepers Squad’, Deploys Three LSSTF Refurbished APCs
In swift response to the recent security concerns emerging out of Ikorodu and its environs over the nefarious activities of some criminal elements that are tormenting places such as Ijede, Ginti, among others, the Lagos Commissioner of Police, CP Fatai Tijani personally led a major show of Force across different part of Ikorodu to assert the dominance of the Police and other security agencies to thwart any crimes in the areas. This show of Force was also accompanied by the Inauguration of a special tactical security outfit codenamed ‘Command Sweepers’ Squad,’ which is a temporary intervention security outfit created to address the growing incidents of crimes and criminality within Ikorodu and adjoining areas, comprising of Command Tactical Teams, RRS, Lagos Taskforce, Eko Strike Force, 2 PMF, 22 PMF, and 63 PMF of the Lagos Police Command, alongside personnel from other sister security agencies and members of the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF), all working collaboratively to combat and stamped out criminality within Ikorodu and its environs. The Squad has been strategically deployed to identify black spots and criminal hideouts to carry out intelligence-led operations, raids, stop-and-search duties, and confidence-building patrols aimed at flushing out criminal elements and ensuring the safety of lives and property.
Top among the security equipment deployed for the show of force and the temporary Inaugurated ‘Command Sweepers’ Squad’ are the three (3) newly refurbished Armoured Personnel Carriers which were just handed over to the Lagos State Police Command by the Lagos State Security Trust Fund, LSSTF as well as Patrol vehicles.
While Inaugurating the ‘Command Sweepers’ Squad’, the Commissioner of Police, CP Tijani assured residents that the operation will be conducted professionally and in line with the rule of law, while urging members of the public to remain vigilant. He warned all criminally minded persons in Ikorodu and its environs to immediately pack their bags because his Command will not hesitate to decisively deal with them. Noting that the Command wasn’t resting on its oars, he revealed that the Squad will continue to patrol all nooks and corners in its bid to flush out all crimes and vices from the area.
Tijani assured law-abiding residents to continue supporting the Command with timely and credible information, through any of the emergency lines: 07061019374, 08065154338, 08063299264, 08039344870, and 09168630929.
He noted that this valuable information will enable the Police to effectively tackle crime and restore public confidence within the area. He also thanked the Executive Secretary/CEO of LSSTF, Dr Ayo Ogunsan for the logistics support including the 3 APCs which have enjoyed immediate deployment.
The Squad is strategically situated in Ijede to ensure swift deployment and easy access to all parts of Ikorodu and adjoining communities for effective crime prevention and rapid response operations.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has approached the Court of Appeal in Abuja to set aside the judgment that voided the timelines it issued for the 2027 general elections.
The Commission also applied for the stay of execution of the judgment, pending the determination of its appeal.
In the notice of appeal dated May 25, which INEC filed through its team of lawyers led by Dr. Alex Izinyon, SAN, the Commission nine grounds it urged the appellate court to consider and vacate the judgment the Federal High Court in Abuja delivered on May 20.
Aside from its contention that the high court erred in law when it failed to determine a jurisdictional issue it raised, INEC maintained that the legal action the Youth Party (YP) initiated against it was not only hypothetical but academic.
It argued that failure of the trial court to make pronouncements on the issues, resulted in the denial of fair hearing to the Appellant.
More so, INEC insisted that the high court erred in law when it held that: “It is clear from the wordings of Sections 29(1), 82 and 84 of the Electoral Act, 2026, the following can be understood. Section 29(1) of the Electoral Act, 2026 mandates Political Parties to submit the names of candidates in prescribed forms of the candidates who emerged from its valid primaries which such a political party intends to sponsor at the elections, not later than 120 days before the date of the General Election.
“What is required of Political Parties to do under the Electoral Act, 2026 is to notify the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) 21 days before the holding of its primaries, congresses or conventions, days before the holding of its primaries, congresses or conventions, or any conference or meeting convened for the election of its executive committees, other governing bodies for nominating candidates.
“The Defendant is not mandated to impose a timeframe for political parties to conduct their primaries provided that it will be done and submitted not later than the 120 days provided by the Electoral Act, 2026. See Section 82(1) of the Electoral Act, 2026.”
INEC argued that the verdict of the trial court was against the weight of evidence placed before it by the parties.
Consequently, it prayed the appellate court for an order allowing the appeal and setting aside the judgment
The electoral body further urged the Court of Appeal to strike out YP’s case on the ground that it lacked the locus standi (legal right) to institute and maintain the action it said was merely academic.
Suspected bandits have reportedly invaded the Yashikira community in Baruten Local Government Area of Kwara State, early this morning, setting the Emir’s palace ablaze and abducting several residents, including women and children.
It was gathered that the attack occurred late at night when the heavily armed assailants stormed the community, firing sporadically.
According to sources in the area, the gunmen attacked the palace during the invasion, setting parts of the royal residence on fire before whisking away multiple victims.
Residents said the attackers operated for hours without resistance, leaving behind destruction and fear in the border community.
Another local source described the incident as terrifying, noting that villagers were caught unaware as the gunmen invaded the town under the cover of darkness.
Sources say Security forces have launched immediate rescue operations to free victims of the Yashikira abduction, which occurred on Sunday night.
Military and police operatives have established a cordon in the area as part of the efforts to rescue about 10 persons who were reportedly taken from the community in an overnight attack on the palace of the Emir of Yashikira.
The police are yet to issue an official statement on the incident.
The development comes after bandits on Saturday night invaded a prayer ground at Ori-Oke Ajaiye, on the outskirts of Ikiran village in Ekiti Local Government Area of Kwara State, killing three worshippers and abducting 15 others during a vigil.
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