Retired Policeman Allegedly Kills Three Over Land Dispute, Dies Hours Later
A retired Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), Charles Atideka, has died under controversial circumstances after allegedly killing three individuals during a land dispute in the Badagry area of Lagos State.
The 63-year-old ex-officer, according to police reports, shot and killed two relatives and a community member in the early hours of Tuesday morning before reportedly ingesting a poisonous substance, leading to his death.
Spokesperson of the Lagos State Police Command, SP Benjamin Hundeyin, confirmed the incident in a statement issued on Thursday. He noted that the alleged killings occurred between 2:00 a.m. and 2:30 a.m. at the Atideka compound in the Yovoyan community of Badagry.
The victims have been identified as Richard Atideka, Latevi Atideka, both members of the suspect’s extended family, and Muji Onilude, a resident of the nearby Gberefu community.
“The suspect in the incident is dead. He killed three people and allegedly took poison after committing the act. He was rushed to the hospital, where the doctor confirmed him dead,” SP Hundeyin said. “His corpse and those of the victims have been deposited in the mortuary.”
However, a conflicting account has emerged from the suspect’s family. Henry Atideka, son of the deceased, disputed the police claim that his father committed suicide.
According to Henry, the retired officer had been invited for interrogation as the prime suspect shortly after the killings. He said his father was preparing to visit the Badagry Police Station when he suddenly collapsed and was rushed to the General Hospital, Badagry, where he later died.
“My father called me around 8:30 a.m. to say he was on his way to the station. By 12:30 p.m., I received a call that he had collapsed and been taken to the hospital,” Henry explained.
He said his brother, John Atideka, who went to the hospital, found their father in the intensive care unit under police guard, but by the time he returned later in the day, their father had died under unclear circumstances.
“The nurse informed him of the death, but we were not given any official explanation. The DPO also claimed not to be aware of the situation,” Henry said. “My father did not kill anyone. He was a respected man in this community. We are calling for a thorough investigation to clear his name.”
The Medical Director of General Hospital Badagry, Dr. Olatunde Bakare, confirmed that the deceased was admitted to the hospital in the afternoon and died approximately three hours later. He, however, clarified that no toxicology or autopsy had yet been conducted to determine the exact cause of death.
“We cannot confirm if he ingested poison or died from a medical complication such as high blood pressure. The cause of death remains undetermined at this time,” Dr. Bakare said.
The Lagos State Police Command says investigations into the incident are ongoing.
