Tragic Mistaken Identity Leads to Engineer's Death
The Lagos State Police Command has confirmed the arrest of two security guards involved in the brutal lynching of a site engineer, Solomon Ode Ogbaji, at Eko Atlantic City. The tragic incident occurred on Friday, October 31, 2025, when security personnel mistakenly identified the innocent engineer as a thief.
Chase Turns Deadly
According to police sources, the situation began when security guards were pursuing suspected thieves who had attempted to steal iron rods from a construction site in the upscale Eko Atlantic area. During the chase, the guards spotted Solomon Ode Ogbaji near the construction site and immediately labeled him as one of the criminals.
Despite Solomon's persistent pleas of innocence, the security guards refused to listen to his explanations. Witness accounts indicate that the victim repeatedly denied being involved with the thieves, but his protests fell on deaf ears as the guards escalated their violence.
Brutal Assault and Cover-up Attempt
Facebook user John Ona provided a detailed account of the incident in a post dated November 5, revealing that Solomon's roommate, Simon Odigri, first raised the alarm when the engineer failed to return home. This triggered an extensive search operation that continued throughout the weekend.
Ona described how the search party eventually encountered a security guard who hinted about someone being attacked in the area. The security guards allegedly beat Solomon severely with cutlasses and other weapons, demanding that he confess to crimes he didn't commit.
The guards later claimed that Solomon had jumped into the river while being taken across a bridge and never resurfaced. They also alleged that he broke one guard's hand during the struggle. However, questions have been raised about this version of events, given that Solomon had already been severely beaten and was in a weakened state.
"How could he swim in a deep river when he had already been beaten and was weak?" Ona questioned, casting doubt on the guards' account of what transpired.
Discovery and Arrests
The security guards reportedly waited for approximately one hour expecting Solomon to resurface before informing their supervisor that the victim had drowned while attempting to escape arrest. The truth only emerged when scavengers discovered Solomon's body floating by the riverbank.
The recovery of the body triggered outrage among local youths, who confronted the security personnel. This confrontation led to police intervention and the subsequent arrest of the suspects.
Police spokesperson Abimbola Adebisi confirmed that two security guards have been taken into custody at the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) for questioning. She stated that the victim's body has been moved to the morgue and the family has been notified about the tragic development.
"The incident happened, and two security guards have been arrested and taken into custody at the SCID for questioning. The corpse had also been taken to the morgue, and the family had been contacted. Investigation is ongoing," Adebisi affirmed.
The police investigation continues as authorities work to uncover the full circumstances surrounding this tragic case of mistaken identity that cost an innocent man his life.
