By Emmanuel Daniji

Two months after 21-year-old Samuel Akala was chased through the streets of Oshodi and hacked to death while desperately seeking refuge, the police have arrested suspects who allegedly confessed to the killing.

Akala, a student and resident of Oshodi, was killed in June after a group of machete-wielding men reportedly chased him during a clash involving rival groups in the community.

His death had sent shock waves through parts of Oshodi, particularly Owoseni and Mosaku streets, where residents said they had never witnessed such a gruesome killing.

Now, the investigation appears to have taken a major step forward following the arrest of a man identified as Toheeb, popularly known as OBJ.

According to reports, the Akinpelu Police Station received information on August 26 and arrested OBJ over an alleged case of public disturbance and breach of peace.

But what began as an arrest over a separate allegation reportedly took a different turn at the station when investigators allegedly linked him to information surrounding Akala’s killing.

A police officer involved in the investigation at the Lagos State Police Command, who was not authorised to speak publicly, confirmed the development.

“Yes, we arrested OBJ and heard he was involved in a killing. He opened up to us and said that he was not part of the Samuel killing but knows the people who did it. He has now taken us to them, and they are cooperating with the investigation,” the officer said.

The officer said the police had arrested other suspects allegedly connected to the killing, although their identities had not been released because the investigation was still ongoing.

“They are all Oshodi boys and we have them,” the officer added.

The development comes about two months after Akala’s death left residents in fear.

In June, residents of Mosaku Street told investigators that Akala had attended a party with his friends on a Saturday night when unfamiliar faces reportedly appeared at the gathering.

Sensing danger, his friends ran in different directions.

Akala also fled, but reportedly found himself being pursued by machete-wielding men.

In a desperate attempt to escape, he ran towards a nearby house and repeatedly knocked on the door, pleading for help.

But the people inside did not know him.

One of the residents later recounted that Akala kept shouting that his name was Samuel and that he lived on the next street. However, because nobody recognised him, the door remained shut.

The attackers eventually caught up with him in front of the house and allegedly hacked him to death.

The incident heightened fears among residents, particularly because the attack was believed to be connected to clashes between rival groups in the area.

Some residents had linked the violence to factions within the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), with sources at the time mentioning OBJ and another man identified as Moshood among those they suspected of involvement.

A local government official, Leke Banjoko, had also confirmed that there were warring factions in the area, saying the government was working with the union and the police to restore peace.

With the latest arrests, the police are now expected to establish the individual roles of those allegedly involved in Akala’s death and determine what led to the attack.

The investigating officer said the suspects were cooperating with the investigation, while efforts continued to gather more evidence before they are charged.

For Akala’s family and the residents who witnessed the horror that night, the arrests could provide the first real answers to a killing that has remained unresolved for two months.