The Centre for Human and Socio-Economic Rights (CHSR) has expressed concern over what it described as growing attempts to obstruct justice in the ongoing prosecution of suspects linked to the murders of two Ajiran community indigenes, calling on authorities to ensure a diligent and speedy trial.
Addressing journalists in Lagos on Monday, CHSR President, Comrade Alex Omotehinse, said the case surrounding the killings of Sheriff Ishola Salami and Prince Kazeem Ademola Akinloye has become a major test of Nigeria’s justice system and the ability of law enforcement agencies to resist external pressure.
According to the organisation, the two victims were killed in separate incidents in April 2023 and August 2024, with police investigations later linking both crimes to the same group of suspects.
CHSR referenced a briefing delivered on February 19, 2026, by the immediate past Lagos State Commissioner of Police, now Assistant Inspector General of Police, Moshood Olohundare Jimoh. During the briefing, the police disclosed that the declaration of Alhaji Ahmed Tajudeen Akanbi as a wanted person followed the arrest and confessional statements of two principal suspects.
The suspects, identified as Safiu Fatai, popularly known as “Fabo,” and Yusuf Ismaila, alias “Bariga,” were arrested in January and February 2026 after police reopened investigations into the killings based on what authorities described as fresh and compelling evidence.
According to the police account cited by CHSR, Sheriff Ishola Salami was murdered on April 18, 2023, in Moba Town, Eti-Osa area of Lagos State. Investigators alleged that he was ambushed, taken to an isolated building, restrained, and shot multiple times.
The organisation further noted that the same suspects were accused of participating in the killing of Prince Ademola Akinloye, son of the Ojomu of Ajiran Land, Oba Adetunji Akinloye. Prince Akinloye was reportedly shot dead along Chevron Road in Ajiran on August 26, 2024.
CHSR stated that information obtained from suspects in custody allegedly indicated that both attacks were carried out on the instructions of Alhaji Ahmed Tajudeen Akanbi. The suspects were said to have claimed that they received financial rewards and promises of additional benefits for their roles in the killings.
While acknowledging the progress made in the investigation, the rights group expressed concern over what it described as procedural delays in the prosecution process.
“Such delays risk creating legal loopholes that may be exploited to obstruct justice,” Omotehinse said.
The organisation also criticised certain individuals and groups it accused of attempting to discredit the investigative process and influence public opinion in favour of suspects yet to stand trial.
According to CHSR, efforts by some persons to mobilise support for the release of suspects without judicial determination amount to an attack on the rule of law and could undermine public confidence in the justice system.
The group further raised concerns over an incident that allegedly occurred during court proceedings on June 4, 2026. CHSR claimed that operatives of the Delta Force Unit of the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Panti, acted on complaints from supporters of a prime suspect and sought the removal of a vehicle belonging to the Ojomu Royal Family from the court premises over allegations that surveillance devices were installed in the vehicle.
The organisation questioned what it described as selective enforcement, noting that supporters of the suspects were allegedly allowed to move freely within and around the court premises.
CHSR said the development raised questions about neutrality, professionalism, and the protection of victims’ families throughout the judicial process.
The group called on the new Lagos State Commissioner of Police, CP Tijani Fatai, to ensure that all suspects are promptly arraigned before a court of competent jurisdiction and that the trial proceeds without unnecessary delays.
It also urged security agencies to strengthen security presence in Ajiran community to prevent tension and reassure residents as legal proceedings continue.
Describing the case as a defining moment for justice and institutional credibility, CHSR insisted that the memories of the victims demand full accountability.
The organisation pledged to continue monitoring the case and engaging relevant stakeholders until the judicial process is concluded in accordance with the law.
