Gunmen assassinate APC chairmanship aspirant in Ikorodu

A tragic incident has rocked the Ijede area of Ikorodu, Lagos State, as gunmen brutally murdered Oluwatosin Onamade, an aspirant for the chairmanship position of Ijede Local Council Development Area (LCDA) under the All Progressives Congress (APC).

The attack, which took place on Saturday night, has left the community in shock, raising concerns about escalating political violence in the area.

According to his brother, Oluwafemi Onamade, the assailants had been monitoring the deceased for some time before launching their fatal attack.

“It happened around 9 pm on Saturday. They were two gunmen. They were wearing black outfits and no one could recognize them. His aide said he could not wait when he heard gunshots. They shot at him and macheted him in front of his house. It happened at his house in Ijede, Oluwatosin Onamade Street. The street is named after him,” Oluwafemi recounted.

Eyewitnesses revealed that the attackers initially fired gunshots at Onamade, but when the bullets failed to penetrate, they resorted to using machetes to inflict fatal wounds on his head and face.

His brother strongly suspects that the murder is linked to his political aspirations, stating, “They know he had an upper hand and many followers.”

Meanwhile, it has been revealed that this was not the first attempt on Onamade’s life.

In 2021, he survived a similar attack, during which his staff member, Ifeanyi Godfrey, was killed.

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A close friend of Onamade, who chose to remain anonymous, expressed sorrow over the incident, emphasizing the need for security measures to prevent further violence,.

Concerns have also been raised about the level of political violence in Ijede, with many calling on authorities to intervene.

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His friend added, “He was a strong contender. Situations like that have been rampant in Ijede and call for serious attention from authorities.”

Meanwhile, the Lagos State Police Command has assured the public that an investigation is underway.

When contacted, the Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, CSP Benjamin Hundeyin, confirmed that the command is aware of the incident and efforts are being made to unravel the circumstances surrounding the murder.

“Investigation has commenced into the incident,” Hundeyin said in a text message.

The brutal assassination of Onamade has once again highlighted the dangers faced by political aspirants, especially at the grassroots level.

Residents and supporters of the late aspirant are now looking to the authorities to ensure that justice is served and that political violence is brought to an end in Ijede and beyond.