CHSR Cautions Lagos Assembly Against Interference in Ajiran Murder Trial

 

By oluwaseyi fadoro 

The Centre for Human and Socio-Economic Rights (CHSR) has urged the Lagos State House of Assembly to exercise restraint in handling petitions related to the ongoing prosecution of suspects accused of murdering two indigenes of the Ajiran community in Eti-Osa Local Government Area of Lagos State.

In a petition dated June 15, 2026, and addressed to the Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Ajayi Obasa, the civil society organisation called on lawmakers to avoid actions that could undermine the judicial process and instead support the pursuit of justice.

The petition, signed by CHSR President, Comrade Alex Omotehinse, was titled, “Petition on the Need for Urgent Legislative Intervention in the Ongoing Trial of Murder Case Involving Ajiran Community Indigenes.”

According to CHSR, its intervention was prompted by a separate petition reportedly submitted to the Assembly by the Centre for Citizens Rights Protection (CCRP), concerning the police investigation and prosecution of suspects linked to the killings of youth leader Sheriff Ishola Salami and Prince Kazeem Ademola Akinloye.

The organisation recalled that it had previously petitioned the Lagos Assembly on September 25, 2023, over developments in the Ojomu Community and the murder of Salami. The petition subsequently led to public hearings conducted by the Assembly’s Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights, Public Petitions and LASIEC in October and November 2023.

CHSR also referenced a press briefing held at the Lagos State Police Command Headquarters in Ikeja on February 19, 2026, during which the then Commissioner of Police, now an Assistant Inspector-General of Police, announced that the prime suspect, Alhaji Ahmed Tajudeen Akanbi, had been declared wanted following the arrest and confessional statements of other suspects allegedly connected to the killings.

According to the organisation, police investigations uncovered confessional statements, corroborative evidence, and what it described as a coordinated pattern of violent acts that culminated in the murders committed in 2023 and 2024.

Expressing concern over the petition allegedly filed by CCRP, CHSR argued that the document misrepresented facts and could potentially undermine the integrity of the ongoing judicial proceedings.

While acknowledging the constitutional right of citizens and groups to seek redress and advocate for justice, the organisation maintained that attempts to question the sufficiency of evidence in a matter already before a competent court should be approached with caution.

CHSR warned that introducing narratives capable of diminishing the seriousness of the allegations could negatively affect the prosecution and mislead members of the public.

The group further stated that any interference with the judicial process could weaken public confidence in the justice system, inflict additional trauma on the families of the victims and residents of the Ajiran community, and threaten the rule of law by diverting criminal proceedings from evidence-based adjudication.

Consequently, CHSR urged the Lagos State House of Assembly to uphold legislative integrity by refraining from actions that could interfere with pending court proceedings while promoting transparency, accountability, and respect for due process.

“Justice must remain anchored on facts, evidence and due process, not sentiment or selective advocacy,” the petition stated.

Describing the case as a critical test of institutional integrity and democratic accountability in Lagos State, the organisation called on the Assembly, under the leadership of Speaker Mudashiru Ajayi Obasa, to support the cause of justice and resist any attempt to prejudice the ongoing trial.

CHSR also expressed confidence in the Nigeria Police Force and the Lagos State Judiciary to ensure fairness and uphold the rule of law throughout the proceedings.

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