Three Homeless Men Shot Dead By Powerbike-Riding Killers At Victoria Island Bus Stop In Lagos
Residents and passers-by were left with a disturbing scene at the Post Office Bus Stop along Adeola Odeku Street, Victoria Island, Lagos, after three men sleeping at the location were found dead following a violent overnight attack.
The incident happened on Sunday morning when two men riding power bikes reportedly arrived at the bus stop, where about 10 homeless individuals had settled down for the night.
Rather than attacking everyone, the gunmen were said to have approached the sleeping individuals, inspected their faces and engaged some of them in conversation before suddenly opening fire.
Three men were killed in the assault. Their bodies were later discovered lying in pools of blood, with machete injuries also found on different parts of their bodies.
But what happened immediately before the shooting has raised further questions about how the attackers identified their victims.
A source familiar with the investigation disclosed that CCTV footage captured two men arriving at the location on separate power bikes. Each reportedly had a white box with him. They parked across the road before walking towards the people sleeping at the bus stop.
According to the source, one of the victims reportedly begged the attackers to spare his life, offering to resolve whatever disagreement might have led to the confrontation. His plea, however, did not stop the violence, as he was also shot dead.
The three deceased men have not been identified. Reports indicate that they were relatively new to the area, having only recently joined others who regularly spend their nights at the bus stop.
The attack came to police attention after a concerned member of the public reported the discovery of three lifeless bodies on Sunday morning.
An anti-crime patrol team subsequently visited the scene and commenced preliminary enquiries with residents and other members of the public.
Confirming the incident, the Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, SP Abimbola Adebisi, disclosed that the bodies had been evacuated to the Lagos State Government’s Mainland Hospital in Yaba for autopsy.
She explained that investigators were working to establish the identities of the deceased, trace their relatives and identify those responsible for the killings.
For now, the motive behind the attack remains unknown. Investigators are also expected to establish whether the victims were deliberately selected or whether the gunmen had another reason for targeting the group.
No arrest has been announced in connection with the incident./SAHARAREPORTERS
