• Say, we thought they were rival gang members
The crisis rocking the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) in Lagos State took a dangerous turn a few weeks ago when suspected cult members opened fire on policemen on patrol around Mabolaje Street, Mafoluku, Oshodi.
During the exchange of gunfire, one of the suspected cult members, 45-year-old Tosin Agbeyangi, was shot in the leg and later arrested by the police.
Agbeyangi, a popular caterer in the area, admitted that members of his gang fired in the direction of the policemen but claimed they did not know those at the scene were police officers.
He explained that the mission of the gang was to attack rival cult members allegedly hiding around the residence of a prominent Oshodi NURTW chieftain, Ganiyu Ayinde Oyedepo, popularly known as Koko Zaria.
The suspect further claimed that the failed operation was a reprisal following the killing of one of their members, simply identified as Samuel, who was allegedly murdered by members of the rival group four days before the incident.
A police source attached to the Commissioner of Police Special Squad 1, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told Saturday Sun that the incident occurred on June 15, 2026, at about 10:45 p.m. on Mabolaje Street, Mafoluku, Oshodi.
According to the source, “One of the leaders of the NURTW in Lagos State, Koko Zaria, was in his residence with some people when Tosin Agbeyangi, 45, led some suspected cult members to the area to attack rival gang members in retaliation for the killing of one of their members.
“Unknown to the attackers, policemen on routine patrol had stopped in the area after noticing suspicious movements.
“The gang opened fire in the direction where the policemen were positioned. The officers immediately returned fire, forcing the suspects to flee in different directions.
“The Divisional Police Officer in charge of the area swiftly mobilised his men, who raced to the scene. Blood stains were traced to a nearby canal where Tosin Agbeyangi was found with a gunshot wound on his leg.
“A locally made pistol loaded with one live cartridge, as well as a Browning pistol magazine containing five rounds of live ammunition, were recovered from the injured suspect.”
Speaking with Saturday Sun, Agbeyangi denied being part of any plot to assassinate Koko Zaria.
“I am 45 years old and I am a caterer. I cook at parties for many people. I even cooked for Koko Zaria during one of his birthday celebrations. I don’t have any problem with him and I was not among those who wanted to kill him,” he said.
The suspect, however, admitted that the firearm and ammunition recovered by the police were found in his possession, claiming that he picked up the weapon from one Temidayo, who allegedly fired the shots during the incident.
“We were returning from a birthday party around Araromi area of Oshodi when we decided to check on our rival gang members from Araromi-Orile, who usually stayed in front of Koko Zaria’s house.
“There were about five or six of us. Some came from Mushin, while only three of us were from Oshodi.
“We wanted to attack them because they had killed one of our members, Samuel, a few days earlier when they invaded our area.
“We didn’t know there were policemen in the area. It was Temidayo who fired towards the place, but I was hit by bullets fired by the policemen.”
Agbeyangi insisted that the group’s mission was not to kill anyone.
“We were not determined to kill them. We only wanted to attack them and shoot into the air. Temidayo was the one holding the gun. He was among those who came from Mushin. I don’t really know him well. We usually met at the ghetto. Only two or three of us were from Oshodi,” he added.
The suspect also denied that anyone sponsored the attack on Koko Zaria. He explained that his group belonged to the Oluomo Nation faction, while their rivals in Orile Oshodi were loyal to the Koko Zaria faction.
“In Oshodi today, there are two factions. There are those who belong to Oluomo Nation and those who belong to Koko Zaria Nation. The boys from Orile Oshodi who usually stay around Mabolaje belong to Koko Zaria Nation, while those from Mafoluku, Ewu and Eniyanloniinu areas belong to Oluomo Nation.
“We are not members of the National Union of Road Transport Workers. They don’t give us money; we only support them,” he claimed.
Confirming the arrest, the Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, SP Abimbola Adebisi, warned criminal elements and other troublemakers across the state to desist from unlawful activities or be prepared to face the full weight of the law.
(The Sun)