Lagos Attorney General Denies Protecting Police in Owode Onirin Killing Case

The Lagos State Government has firmly rejected accusations of shielding police officers involved in the deaths of six traders at Owode Onirin.

Lawal Pedro (SAN), the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, labeled recent reports questioning the state’s handling of the August 27, 2025, incident as misleading and inaccurate.

Pedro explained that the decision not to pursue charges against Inspector Manu Bala and four other officers was based on a lack of evidence.

Following standard legal protocols, the police submitted a case file that failed to establish a prima facie case. Notably, the investigation lacked eyewitness testimony linking the officers to the shooting, despite the market being a busy area.

According to the Attorney-General, the evidence suggested that traders confronted the police team, leading to a struggle where an officer’s rifle was seized and reportedly fired by a civilian. He clarified that the only civilian initially arrested was found to have been absent from the scene.

The Ministry of Justice initially sought additional evidence, including ballistic analysis and post-mortem reports, to conduct a thorough review.

After waiting six months for the police to provide these materials without success, the Ministry issued legal advice on March 3, 2026, recommending against prosecution due to insufficient proof.

Pedro emphasized that refusing to prosecute when evidence is lacking is a constitutional duty rather than a move to protect suspects.

He stressed that justice must be served for the victims, the accused, and the broader public, noting that the Ministry remains open to reopening the case should credible new evidence surface.

The state continues to defend its adherence to the rule of law, arguing that prosecution must be grounded in verified facts rather than assumptions or public pressure. The government is currently reviewing late-arriving ballistic and autopsy reports to determine if further action is warranted.