A young female apprentice identified as Shadiat Nurudeen has reportedly died weeks after she was allegedly assaulted by a male trader at the Iga Kosoko Market on Lagos Island.
The incident, according to reports, occurred on September 12, while the victim passed away on October 21, 2025, at the Gbagada General Hospital following complications from the attack.
A report by Islander TV on Instagram stated that Nurudeen sustained serious facial injuries during the altercation.
Photographs made available showed her with a swollen face and a plaster over her nostril, while a video captured her lying on a hospital bed in visible pain.
According to findings, the confrontation took place on the day traders in the market were closing their shops to mourn the death of a colleague.
Nurudeen, who was said to be an apprentice dealing in Kampala fabrics at Sunrise Plaza, was packing her goods displayed outside her shop when the male trader allegedly stormed in, accused her of falling on his counter, and punched her in the face.
The blow reportedly caused a deep cut on her nose and heavy bleeding.
Reports indicated that the victim was rushed to three different hospitals before receiving treatment and stitches.
She was advised to rest for two weeks but, after returning to work, began to experience bouts of weakness and convulsions.
Nurudeen later slipped into a coma and was taken to multiple hospitals before being admitted to Awesome Hospital in Surulere on October 16.
Her condition deteriorated, and she was subsequently transferred to the Gbagada General Hospital, where she died five days later.
A source familiar with the incident, Ola Muhammed, told PUNCH Metro that the altercation started after a shop counter belonging to a neighbouring trader collapsed. “She was packing her stock when the announcement was made that another trader had died. A male trader, who was also repacking his goods, was nearby when a counter belonging to a neighbouring shop fell. That was when the misunderstanding started,” Muhammed explained.
It was gathered that the case was immediately reported to the police and later referred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) for further inquiry.
Following public outrage after the story gained traction online, the suspect was said to have been invited by the police. “After the story went viral on Monday, the police eventually invited the suspect. They had earlier claimed they couldn’t find him. I also learnt that he went to the station with his lawyer, while the bereaved family and market leaders were also present,” Muhammed added.
Efforts by PUNCH Metro to obtain an update on the investigation were unsuccessful, as the Lagos State Police Command spokesperson, Abimbola Adebisi, did not respond to calls or messages sent to her WhatsApp line as of Tuesday.
Nurudeen’s death adds to the rising number of violent incidents recorded in Lagos markets in recent months. In August, a trader was reportedly stabbed to death during a brawl in the Mandilas area of Lagos Island, while the Owode Onirin Spare Parts Market shooting on August 27 left six people dead, sparking renewed public outrage and calls for stronger market security measures.
