Cultists gun down tailor on Lagos street

A 35-year-old man, Lukman Sotomiwa, has been killed by suspected cult members in the Surulere area of Lagos State.

PUNCH Metro gathered that the Abeokuta, Ogun State indigene was tricked out with a telephone call around 10pm on Tuesday.

A friend was said to have come out with Lukman when the gang reportedly attacked and shot him.

The gunshot was said to have spread panic among residents who ran for cover.

He was left in a pool of blood and died on the spot.

Our correspondent, who visited Karimu Street, Surulere, where the incident happened, learnt that policemen attached to the Surulere division had evacuated his corpse.

A resident, who did not want his name mentioned for security reason, said, “On that Tuesday evening, we first heard a gunshot and everybody started running helter-skelter.

“When the dust had settled on the confusion that followed the gunshot, we came out to investigate the matter.

“We learnt that Lukman received a phone call from someone and was shot dead when he came out of his house. His corpse was left on the street before it was taken away by the police.”

The resident added that the incident was the third death in a week within the community.

Some friends of the deceased told PUNCH Metro that they could not explain what transpired on the night of the incident.

One of them, who did not give his name, said the manner in which Lukman was killed had left them in shock and they did not want to comment further.

“But let me assure you that he was not a cultist,” he added.

Our correspondent was directed to the family house of the victim, a place called Small London, around Babajide bus stop, Surulere.

At the house, PUNCH Metro met Lukman’s widow, Aminat; a relative, Akeem Kazeem, and the deceased’s two children-Al-Achmed, 5, and Uthman, 3.

Aminat said, “The last time I saw my husband was on Tuesday. I went to meet him on Karimu Street where he has his shop around 5pm. He gave me some money for transport, saying he would be coming home later in the evening. I never knew it was the last time I would be seeing my husband alive.

“He was a very hardworking man. He travelled two times to London last year to give some clothes that he designed to his friend who sold them. He was planning another trip later this year when he was killed.”

She said she had decided to “leave everything to God because there is no point expecting anything from the police.”

Her elder brother, Kazeem, explained that the family had already gone to identify Lukman’s corpse at the Mainland mortuary.

He said the family was also concluding plans to ensure he was buried on time according to Islamic rites.

The Police Public Relations Officer, Lagos State Command, Kenneth Nwosu, confirmed the incident.

He said, “The corpse has been taken to the morgue. No arrest has been made although efforts are on to apprehend the perpetrators of the heinous crime.”

Source: Punch