In what appears to be a troubling case of power obstructing justice, the police investigation into the gruesome murder of 24-year-old Saheed Shoboyede Jinadu in Lagos has allegedly been thwarted by a highly placed government official in Ogun State.
The official, reportedly linked to the church that bought the land at the center of the deadly dispute, is accused of using his influence to shield suspects and derail police efforts.
The harrowing case began with the arrest of six suspects: Hammed Olayiwola, 45, Taofeek Ajasa, 47, Samuel Ajose, 39, Segun Elijah, 54, Segun Dada, 54, and Elijah Adeogun, 43 after a violent attack in Osuke village, Ado-Odo, Ota, where armed masked men unleashed terror, leaving Jinadu fatally shot.
The police launched a painstaking investigation, uncovering critical evidence, including spent AK-47 shells and cartridges at the crime scene.
Determined to bring the perpetrators to justice, detectives meticulously followed legal procedures securing court approvals, retrieving communication records from major telecoms providers, and pushing for forensic analysis of the recovered shells. But just as their investigation gained momentum, an invisible hand of power allegedly began working against them.
Attempts to obtain remand orders in Ogun State were stonewalled, as were efforts to secure an autopsy report confirming the cause of death. Forensic analyses of the bullets remained stalled. It soon became clear that someone in high places was working tirelessly behind the scenes not to ensure justice, but to sabotage it.
Police sources allege that this powerful figure, instead of allowing the law to take its course, moved swiftly to manipulate the system, using his office to secure the release of the suspects a group allegedly known for violent land grabbing in the state.
Then came the unexpected twist: Ogun State Attorney General, Oluwasina Ogungbade, SAN, released a statement not in pursuit of justice, but condemning the police.
He accused the AIG of Lagos Zone 2 of being used by land grabbers and claimed the investigation was riddled with errors. Citing these “irregularities,” the AG abruptly discontinued charges against the suspects.
With justice slipping away, the police have now transferred the case to the Force Headquarters in Abuja, in a desperate bid to salvage the investigation and bring other suspects still at large to book.
For the family of the slain Saheed Jinadu, this is more than just another legal battle. It is the painful realization that, in Nigeria, justice is often a privilege of the powerful. The question now remains: Will the authorities allow this case to be buried, or will they stand up for justice, no matter whose interests are at stake?