Godwin was reportedly shot and attacked with an axe in Abule Ijesha, while police investigate the fatal assault and claims that three others were wounded

A security guard identified simply as Godwin was killed in a suspected Lagos cult attack in Abule Ijesha, Yaba, Lagos State, on Saturday evening, after gunmen allegedly confronted him near his duty post and shot him before attacking him with an axe.

Also read: Osun Police Confirm Fatal Cult-Related Shooting

The brutal incident reportedly plunged the community into panic, with residents said to have fled or sought safety after the assailants allegedly fired several shots into the air while escaping.

A police source, who spoke on condition of anonymity because the source was not authorised to comment publicly, said the attackers arrived in a vehicle and accosted Godwin close to where he was working.

“We received a report that gunmen suspected to be cultists killed a security guard identified as Godwin in the area. The assailants came in a vehicle and shot him not far from his duty post. Eyewitnesses also reported that they attacked him with an axe,” the source said.

The account has not been independently established as police investigations continue, and no arrests had been publicly announced at the time of reporting.

The police source said security operatives had begun investigating the incident and were working to identify and apprehend those responsible for the killing.

A further claim emerged from Naija Confra, an anti-cultism platform, which said three other people were injured by gunfire during the attack. The claim had not been independently verified, and the police had not confirmed the reported injuries.

The platform alleged that the assailants arrived in a white Mercedes-Benz and opened fire before attacking the victim with an axe. It further claimed that three girls were wounded when the gunmen allegedly fired randomly as they fled.

The conflicting details surrounding the reported incident underline the need for a full investigation to establish exactly what happened, who was responsible and whether other people were injured.

Efforts to obtain an official response from the Lagos State Police Command spokesperson, CSP Abimbola Adebisi, were unsuccessful. Calls to her telephone line were not answered, while a text message seeking clarification had not received a response as of the time of filing.

The killing has nevertheless renewed concerns about violent cult activity in the Yaba and Lagos Mainland axis, where previous incidents have raised questions about the safety of residents, students and other members of the public.

The latest reported attack also comes against the backdrop of the March killing of Yaba College of Technology student Sultan Balogun Owolabi at WAEC Bus Stop in Ebute Metta.

According to earlier reports, Balogun was shot at about 4pm on March 3, 2026, while attempting to board a commercial bus. A source said three young men approached him and opened fire at close range.

Lagos State Police Command spokesperson Abimbola Adebisi confirmed at the time that two victims had been taken to the 68 Military Hospital and that Balogun, a YABATECH student, was later confirmed dead. Police said an investigation was ongoing to apprehend those responsible.

However, the circumstances surrounding that earlier shooting also generated conflicting accounts. While some reports attributed the attack to suspected cultists, other claims raised questions about possible military involvement, prompting calls for a transparent investigation.

The pattern of violence has kept cult-related crime under scrutiny in communities around Yaba and Ebute Metta, particularly because of the area’s concentration of tertiary institutions and large residential populations.

For residents of Abule Ijesha, the reported killing of Godwin has added another troubling episode to those concerns.

The circumstances of his death, including the identity and motive of the attackers, are expected to become clearer as investigators pursue leads and examine eyewitness accounts.

Also read: Osun Police Arrest 8 Suspected Cultists in Major Crackdown

The incident is a grim reminder of the human cost of violent crime, with the death of a security guard at his place of work leaving a community confronting yet another painful question about public safety.