A 63-year-old retired Deputy Superintendent of Police, Charles Atideka, has died under controversial circumstances following allegations that he killed three people over a land dispute in Badagry, Lagos State.
The Lagos State Police Command confirmed to the News Agency of Nigeria that the former officer allegedly shot and killed two family members – Mr. Richard Atideka and Mrs. Latevi Atideka from Yovoyan community – as well as Mr. Muji Onilude from neighboring Gberefu community in the early hours of Tuesday.
According to police spokesperson SP Benjamin Hundeyin, the ex-officer died after allegedly consuming poison following the killings.
“The suspect in the incident is dead. He killed three people and allegedly took poison after committing the act,” Hundeyin stated. “He was thereafter rushed to the hospital where the doctor confirmed him dead. His corpse and those of the victims have been deposited in the morgue.”
A survivor of the attack, Mr. David Atideka, told investigators that the incident occurred between 2:00 a.m. and 2:30 a.m. in the Atideka compound.
However, the retired officer’s son, Henry Atideka, has disputed the police account of his father’s death, claiming that medical records from General Hospital in Badagry tell a different story.
“When the police visited our community shortly after the incident, my father was invited to the station in Badagry for interrogation as the prime suspect,” Henry explained. “Around 8:30 a.m., when my father had prepared to visit the police station, he called to inform me. But around 12:30 p.m., someone called to inform me that he had been admitted to General Hospital, Badagry, after collapsing and being rushed there.”
According to Henry, his brother John went to the hospital and found three policemen guarding their father. Later, when John returned after briefly leaving to change clothes, he discovered that both their father and the police officers were gone. A nurse informed him that Charles Atideka had died.
“I saw his cold body—he was dead. The rise in his blood pressure, caused by the various accusations, was what killed him,” Henry insisted. “My father was a respected member of the Badagry community. He didn’t kill anyone. The police should conduct a thorough investigation to find the real culprit so his soul can rest in peace.”
Dr. Olatunde Bakare, Medical Director of General Hospital Badagry, confirmed that the deceased was brought to the hospital in the afternoon and passed away approximately three hours later. However, he stated that no tests had been conducted to determine the exact cause of death.
“We do not know whether the deceased committed suicide by swallowing something or if his death was due to a rise in blood pressure,” Dr. Bakare explained.
The police have yet to provide details about the alleged accomplice mentioned in their initial reports, and investigations into the triple homicide continue.
