A wedding celebration in Lagos State turned into a nightmare on Saturday night when gunmen stormed an after-party in the Ikotun area and opened fire indiscriminately, killing two people in a shocking outbreak of violence that left guests running for their lives.
The victims — the father of the bride and a hypeman known simply as Victor — were both shot dead during the incident, which happened on Oviawe Street, off Governor’s Road, shortly after the wedding ceremony had ended and celebrations moved to an after-party venue.
Quoting eyewitnesses, Punch reports that the atmosphere of festivity suddenly shifted into terror when the assailants invaded the gathering and began shooting sporadically into the crowd, forcing guests to flee in different directions for safety.
A resident, who was identified only as Tosin, recounted how the attackers disrupted the celebration at its peak.
He said, “They were holding an after-party after the wedding ceremony was held at an event centre on Governor’s Road. It was during the celebration that the gunmen entered their midst and opened fire indiscriminately.
“This made everyone present run for their lives. They then went straight to Victor, dragged him outside onto the street and started hitting him with dangerous weapons.”
Another resident, who requested anonymity due to the sensitivity of the situation, explained that the bride’s father was killed while trying to intervene and save Victor from the attackers.
“When the gunmen were beating Victor, the bride’s father rushed to the spot to intervene and plead for him. It was in the process that the gunmen shot both of them. They died on the spot.”
The double killing triggered widespread panic across the community, forcing residents and business owners to quickly shut their doors as fear spread following the unexpected violence.
Sources within the area were also reported to have suggested that the attack may not have been directly targeted at the wedding party but could be fallout from ongoing cult-related clashes in the community.
“This area has been experiencing cult-related issues for some time. It is possible that the attackers were trailing someone or targeting a rival, but innocent people ended up as victims,” the source added.
Victor, one of the deceased, was described by residents as a familiar face in the neighbourhood. A local resident, Steve, said, “I was inside when my wife told me that something had happened outside. When I got outside, I was told Victor was involved in the incident. It was later that I realised that he was someone I usually see on our street. He has a small stature.”
As of the time of filing this report, authorities had yet to confirm the identity of the bride’s father, while the perpetrators remain at large.
Confirming the incident, the spokesperson for the Lagos State Police Command, Abimbola Adebisi, stated that an investigation was underway and assured that the case would be escalated.
“The matter is being investigated; it will be transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department, Panti, today unfailingly,” the spokesperson said.
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