The wedding was set for two weeks away. Basit Kolade had come back to Nigeria from abroad to prepare for it. On Wednesday night, he was beaten to death by a mob in Lagos Island.
The attack happened in the Patey area of the community. According to residents, Kolade was driving along Freeman Street when his car allegedly hit a man trying to cross the road. He did not stop. He drove on. A group of residents chased him, caught him, and a mob descended.
One resident who witnessed the incident, speaking anonymously, said: "A resident was trying to cross the road when he rammed him. The moment it happened, people thought he would wait, but he did not. He was later chased and caught before the mob descended on him."
Another resident, identified only as Lawal, described the violence. "He was hit with sticks and bottles on his head, which caused him to sustain a head injury. He went unconscious and later died," Lawal said.
The attackers fled once they realised Kolade had stopped responding. He was taken to Lagos Island General Hospital, where he was confirmed dead on arrival, according to Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer Abimbola Adebisi.
Police have arrested four suspects in connection with the killing. Adebisi said in a statement: "The Command strongly condemns the incident and warns members of the public against resorting to mob action, jungle justice, or any form of self-help. No individual or group has the right to take the law into their own hands. Anyone found culpable in the attack, including those who participated in the alleged mob action, will be arrested and prosecuted in accordance with the law."
The remains of the deceased have been deposited in the morgue, police confirmed.
The case has drawn attention to a pattern of jungle justice in Lagos and across Nigeria, where crowds routinely bypass the courts and dispense punishment on the spot. Suspected thieves, armed robbers, and now a driver involved in an accident have all been targets in recent months. In many of these incidents, the mob acts before the police arrive, and the victim is often dead by the time officers reach the scene.
Kolade had been preparing for his wedding, which had reportedly been scheduled to take place in about two weeks. The timing of his death, coming so soon after his return to the country, has made the incident particularly difficult for those who knew him. Details about his life abroad, his profession, or his fiancée have not been released by the police or by family members.
The Lagos State Police Command has not confirmed whether the pedestrian who was allegedly hit by Kolade's car survived or what his condition is. Police have also not said whether the pedestrian has been identified or whether he has given a statement about the incident.
The four arrested suspects are in police custody. Their names have not been released, and it is unclear what charges they will face. Adebisi's statement indicated that anyone found to have participated in the mob action will be prosecuted, but the investigation is still ongoing.
Mob killings have a long and documented history in Nigeria. Human rights groups have repeatedly called on authorities to do more to prevent them, arguing that the police response is often too slow and that the courts are seen as unreliable, which leads people to take justice into their own hands. The police have, in turn, issued warnings against self-help, as Adebisi did in this case.
The death of Basit Kolade, two weeks before his wedding, has added a personal tragedy to a familiar pattern of violence. His family, who had been expecting a wedding, are now making funeral arrangements instead. The police have confirmed that his body is in the morgue. The four suspects remain in custody.
According to Pulse.ng.
