Family accuses Naval Officers of killing man during dispute in Lagos

The family of a man, Lawal Rashed, has accused officers of the Nigerian Navy of causing his death after allegedly opening fire during a land dispute in the Imowo area of Ijede, Ikorodu, Lagos State.

Two other people were said to have sustained gunshot injuries and were hospitalised following the incident, which occurred on September 17, 2025.

According to the deceased’s family, the shooting happened after a disagreement between the community and a woman identified as Caroline Fagorusi over a development fee. The family claimed that Fagorusi, who bought a plot of land in the area, had refused to pay the agreed fee before beginning construction.

A community leader and spokesperson for the family, Olatunji Akorede, told PUNCH Metro that the issue began after the community urged landowners to develop their plots, which had become hideouts for criminals. He said that while most landowners agreed to pay a ₦1 million development fee, Fagorusi failed to present her allocation documents and did not make the payment.

Akorede alleged that the woman later began visiting the site with naval officers, which led to tension.

“On the day of the incident, I was told that she came again with armed officers. When my relatives approached them to collect the documents, the naval officers opened fire, killing one person and injuring two others. The officers fled immediately after realising someone had died,” he said.

He also claimed that the police arrested three people after the incident but released them after three days, adding that the family was asked to pay ₦700,000 for an autopsy.

When contacted, Fagorusi admitted there was an agreement to pay the ₦1 million fee but said she could not pay immediately due to financial constraints. She explained that the naval officers shot into the air after a group of about 60 men attempted to attack them.

“I didn’t see anyone who died. The officers only fired shots to defend themselves after one of the men tried to grab a gun,” she said.

The Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Moshood Jimoh, said the case was not reported to his office and advised the family to contact the naval authorities since navy personnel were involved.

The Nigerian Navy spokesperson, Commodore Aiwuyor Adams-Aliu, promised to respond to inquiries on the matter but had not done so at the time of this report.

Incidents of security operatives intervening in land disputes are not new. In August 2025, policemen from Nasarawa State were arrested over a land-related clash in Ikorodu that left seven people dead.

Similarly, in 2014, a Lagos businessman accused police officers of aiding land grabbers to seize his property in the Ikate area of Eti-Osa.

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