Cultists Kill Shawarma Vendor in Sangotedo, Sparking Fresh Fears in Lagos

A shawarma vendor identified as Andy, popularly known as Aboki De Junior, was shot dead at his stand in the Sangotedo area of Lagos State on Saturday evening. Suspected members of the Eiye cult group reportedly carried out the targeted killing, according to an anti-cultism platform that claimed the assailants took responsibility. The brutal incident has heightened concerns over the persistent threat of cult violence in the Lekki-Ajah axis, where small businesses and residents increasingly find themselves caught in supremacy battles.

Eyewitness accounts and police sources indicate that the attackers arrived at the popular spot near ShopRite disguised as customers. While Andy attended to them, they pulled out guns and shot him in the head at close range before fleeing the scene. His body was left in a pool of blood as residents gathered in shock. Officers from the Lagos State Police Command later evacuated the remains.

The anti-cultism platform Confra Naija described the deceased as a peaceful and hardworking young man from Benue State who maintained friendly relations across divides. “Aboki De Junior was a calm and friendly businessman who welcomed everybody,” the group stated, noting that he had friends from rival factions yet remained neutral in their conflicts.

This latest killing fits a troubling pattern of cult-related violence that has plagued several Lagos communities for years. Areas within the Lekki-Ajah corridor, Ikorodu, Mushin, and parts of the Mainland have seen repeated clashes between rival groups, often over territorial control, extortion, and perceived disrespect. These confrontations frequently spill into public spaces, endangering innocent bystanders and legitimate livelihoods.

Cultism in Lagos has deep roots tied to university campuses but has since mutated into street-level gangs that recruit unemployed youths and school dropouts. Groups such as the Eiye (also known as Airlords) and Aye (Black Axe) have been linked to many of these incidents. Analysts point to factors including weak community policing, easy access to illegal firearms, and socio-economic pressures that make young men vulnerable to recruitment. Small-scale entrepreneurs like shawarma vendors, who operate late into the night in busy neighbourhoods, have become soft targets in recent times.

Just last August, another shawarma seller was gunned down in similar circumstances at his shop in the Mowo area along the Badagry Expressway. Such incidents underscore how cult violence is disrupting everyday economic activities in the state, even as Lagos positions itself as Nigeria’s commercial nerve centre. Residents in Sangotedo and surrounding areas now live with the constant fear that a simple business transaction could turn deadly.

The development raises critical questions about the effectiveness of ongoing security operations in suburban Lagos. While authorities have launched several anti-cultism drives and task forces in the past, the frequency of these attacks suggests gaps in intelligence gathering, rapid response, and sustained community engagement. Many families in the area depend on informal businesses like street food vending for survival; repeated targeting of such operators threatens both lives and local economies.

Police sources told PUNCH Metro that investigations are ongoing and have not yet officially attributed the killing to cultism, though community accounts strongly suggest otherwise. The Lagos State Police Command’s spokesperson, Abimbola Adebisi, could not be reached for comment on the incident.

As Lagos continues to grapple with urban safety challenges amid rapid population growth, the killing of Andy highlights the urgent need for more targeted interventions. These include better lighting and surveillance in commercial hotspots, stronger collaboration between security agencies and local vigilantes, and genuine rehabilitation programmes for at-risk youths. Without decisive action, such tragedies risk becoming a normalised feature of life in the city’s expanding suburbs.

The death of this hardworking Benue indigene in Sangotedo serves as another stark reminder that cultism remains a dangerous undercurrent beneath Lagos’ bustling surface, demanding sustained attention from both security forces and community leaders.