Four gospel artistes found dead inside Lagos music studio

A gospel artiste, Matthew Ogundele, and three members of his crew have been found dead inside a music studio in the Abraham Adesanya area of Ajah, Lagos State.

The deceased crew members were identified as Itunu Ogundele, Joseph Sanya, and a blogger, Matthew Awosanya, popularly known as JoesTv.

The victims were reportedly invited to minister on Tuesday, the second day of a three-day birthday praise programme organised by a female gospel artiste, Olanireti Akinbola.

According to a police source quoted by The PUNCH, the gospel team concluded their session late on Tuesday night and decided to sleep over at the studio due to the distance from their homes. Their lifeless bodies were discovered the following morning, Wednesday.

“The programme started on Monday as a three-day birthday praise event. Matthew Ogundele and his crew ministered on Tuesday. Because the programme ran late, they decided to stay overnight in the studio. It was the next morning that their bodies were found,” the source disclosed.

A Christian blog, Omojesu, also reported that the victims were unable to return home due to the studio’s distance from their residences.

The report stated that the group allegedly passed away in their sleep after staying overnight at the studio following the programme.

The incident was reported at the Ajiwe Police Station, Ajah, while friends, colleagues and sympathisers of the deceased have taken to social media to express grief and demand justice.

Images circulating online showed blood stains around the noses, ears and mouths of the victims, fuelling public concern and speculation over the circumstances surrounding their deaths.

Confirming the incident, the Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, SP Benjamin Hundeyin, said the matter was reported on Wednesday by the owner of the studio, Akintayo Akinbola, who is also the husband of the celebrant.

According to the police, Akinbola stated that he left the artistes in his studio, located within the HFP Shopping Complex, on Tuesday night after purchasing food for them, as they were preparing for a music concert.

“He said that after collecting the food, the artistes returned to the studio while he went home. At about 11am the next day, he returned and found the studio door locked from inside. He raised an alarm, and the door was forced open, where the bodies of the four individuals were discovered,” the police spokesperson said.

Hundeyin added that detectives who visited the scene found no visible marks of violence on the bodies.

“The corpses were evacuated to the Mainland Hospital, Yaba, where a medical doctor confirmed them dead. They were subsequently deposited at the Mainland General Hospital mortuary for autopsy and preservation,” he said.

The police further disclosed that the case has been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Panti, Yaba, for comprehensive investigation.

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