A retired Deputy Superintendent of Police, Charles Atideka, has died under controversial circumstances after allegedly killing three individuals over a land dispute in Badagry, Lagos State.
The Lagos State Police Command confirmed the incident on Thursday, revealing that the ex-officer reportedly shot and killed two family members and another individual on Tuesday before allegedly taking his own life.
The Alleged Attack
According to investigations by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), the victims—Richard Atideka and Latevi Atideka from the Yovoyan community, along with Muji Onilude from the neighboring Gberefu community—were allegedly shot by Atideka and an unidentified accomplice.
A survivor, David Atideka, recounted that the attack occurred in the Atideka compound between 2:00 a.m. and 2:30 a.m.
Following the killings, police spokesperson SP Benjamin Hundeyin stated that the ex-officer ingested a poisonous substance, lost consciousness, and was rushed to the hospital, where he was later pronounced dead.
Conflicting Accounts of Death
While the police maintain that Atideka committed suicide, his son, Henry Atideka, has disputed this claim, insisting that his father collapsed and died while on his way to the Badagry Police Station for interrogation.
Henry explained that his father had been invited for questioning as the prime suspect in the killings. He recounted how, hours after preparing to go to the police station, he received a call informing him that his father had collapsed and was rushed to the General Hospital in Badagry.
Upon arrival at the hospital, Henry’s brother, John Atideka, found three policemen stationed by their father’s bedside. After paying for his medical treatment, John briefly left the hospital. When he returned around 3:30 p.m., his father and the policemen were gone. A nurse later informed him that his father had died.
Henry said that when he contacted the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) for clarification, the officer initially claimed ignorance of the situation.
“I arrived at the hospital around 4:00 p.m. but was initially denied access to my father’s body. After calling the DPO, I was finally allowed to see him. I saw his cold body—he was dead. The rise in his blood pressure, caused by the various accusations, was what killed him,” Henry said.
He insisted that his father was a respected figure in the Badagry community and was not responsible for the killings. He called on the authorities to conduct a thorough investigation to uncover the true perpetrators.
Hospital’s Position on Cause of Death
Dr. Olatunde Bakare, Medical Director of the General Hospital, Badagry, confirmed that Atideka was brought to the hospital in the afternoon and died about three hours later. However, he clarified that the hospital had not conducted any tests to determine the exact cause of death.
“We do not know whether the deceased committed suicide by swallowing something or if his death was due to a rise in blood pressure,” Bakare stated.
As the controversy surrounding the incident deepens, residents of the Badagry community are demanding transparency in the investigation to ensure that justice is served.
