Lagos Rejects Claims of Shielding Police in Market Shooting

Lagos State officials have firmly rejected accusations that they are protecting police officers suspected in the fatal shooting of six traders at the bustling Owode Onirin market, attributing their decision not to pursue charges to a lack of sufficient evidence in the case file.

The incident occurred on August 27, 2025, when a team of officers, including Inspector Manu Bala and four colleagues, responded to a dispute over land at the market. According to a statement from Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice Lawal Pedro, the government's review of the police investigation revealed no direct evidence linking the officers to the deaths. Pedro described recent media reports questioning the state's handling of the case as false and misleading, emphasizing that the decision followed a thorough legal process under Section 74 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Law of Lagos State.

Police had submitted the case file for legal advice after initial probes, which included witness statements, suspect interviews, and supporting documents. The ministry's examination found no eyewitness accounts confirming that the officers fired the fatal shots, despite the crowded setting of...