The Lagos State Police Command has arrested two security guards allegedly involved in the death of a site engineer, Solomon Ode, who was brutally lynched near a construction site at Eko Atlantic City on October 31. The incident has sparked renewed public outrage over the rising cases of jungle justice across the country.
According to police sources, the guards were pursuing suspected thieves accused of stealing iron rods from the construction site when they spotted Ode walking in the area. Without verifying his identity or listening to his explanations, the guards reportedly accused him of being one of the thieves. Witnesses said Ode begged for mercy and insisted he was innocent, but his pleas were ignored. He was beaten severely until he collapsed, and the attackers allegedly abandoned his body near the riverbank, believing he was already dead.
Ode’s disappearance raised immediate concern among those close to him. His roommate became alarmed after noticing he did not return home that night, prompting neighbours and friends to begin an informal search. Over the following days, some young men who continued looking for Ode reportedly encountered a security guard who hinted that a man had been attacked on the night he went missing. The guard claimed that Ode tried to jump into the water while being escorted across a bridge, but several witnesses disputed this statement, pointing out that Ode had already been beaten so badly that he could barely move.
The search came to a tragic end when scavengers discovered a body floating near the riverbank. The corpse was soon identified as Ode, leading to an eruption of anger among youths in the community who accused the security personnel of murder and attempted cover up. Authorities were contacted, and an investigation was immediately launched.
Lagos Police spokesperson, SP Abimbola Adebisi, confirmed the arrest of two of the guards believed to have played key roles in the assault. She disclosed that the suspects had been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department for thorough interrogation. Adebisi added that Ode’s body has been deposited in the morgue and that the family has been officially notified of the development. She assured the public that a full investigation is underway to uncover the circumstances surrounding his death and bring all responsible persons to justice.
Ode’s killing has once again drawn attention to the persistent problem of mob violence in Nigeria. Human rights advocates say the case reflects a wider pattern in which innocent people are accused without evidence and subjected to violent attacks instead of being handed over to the police. Many Nigerians have called for stronger enforcement of laws against jungle justice and improved training for private security workers across the country.
As the investigation continues, Ode’s family and community are demanding accountability, insisting that his death must not be swept aside as yet another avoidable tragedy in a city still battling with issues of insecurity and unchecked mob behaviour.
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