Mentally ill man clubs soldier to death in Lagos

THERE was confusion on Sunday after a suspected mentally unstable man plummeted a yet-to-be-identified soldier to death at Imota, in the Ikorodu area of Lagos State, throwing the community into panic.

PUNCH Metro learnt that the incident occurred at a military checkpoint close to the bridge, a spot residents say often has light security presence during off-peak hours.

It was gathered that the soldier was manning the post alone after his colleague briefly stepped away when the mentally unstable man suddenly emerged from behind and struck him on the head with a wooden club.

A police source who spoke to our correspondent on Tuesday, on the condition of anonymity because he was not permitted to speak with the media on the incident, said that although the soldier became almost unconscious, he attempted to fight back but was eventually overpowered.

“The soldiers were about two at the checkpoint, but one of them left to attend to something. It was while he was away that the mentally unstable man attacked the remaining one. He hit him on the head from behind. The soldier began to bleed, but still tried to wrestle the club from him. It was in the process that the man overpowered him, pushed him to the ground, and continued hitting him,” the source said.

According to the source, the attacker then seized the soldier’s rifle and fled, leaving the victim bleeding heavily on the spot.

A resident who witnessed part of the incident but declined to give his name because it involved the military told PUNCH Metro that passersby quickly alerted other soldiers in the area.

“Some passersby who saw what happened could not apprehend the mentally unstable man because he was armed. They alerted the soldier’s colleagues. When those ones arrived, the man threw the rifle over the bridge and tried to run. It was while he was fleeing that they shot him dead,” the resident said.

A viral video seen by PUNCH Metro on Tuesday showed the soldier lying in a pool of blood on the bridge, while the corpse of the attacker was also visible a distance away. The video later showed soldiers carrying their colleague’s body away on a tricycle.

When contacted, the state Police Public Relations Officer, Abimbola Adebisi, confirmed the incident.

She explained that the mentally ill man had been seen wandering around the location days before the attack.

“The man was seen loitering around the area about two days before the incident. The deceased was taken to the hospital, but was confirmed dead. He has been buried. The suspected mentally unstable man was taken to the morgue by the police. The rifle he threw into the river was recovered by the army. Investigation is ongoing,” she said.

Meanwhile, the acting Deputy Director, Army Public Relations, 81 Division, Nigerian Army, Musa Yahaya, in a statement on Tuesday, disclosed that the soldier was attempting to de-escalate a chaotic situation when the attacker struck him on the head with a heavy log, causing severe injuries.

“On November 16, 2025, at about 4:00 pm, one of the soldiers deployed for internal security duty in the Imota area of Ikorodu, while attempting to de-escalate a chaotic situation, was attacked by a mentally unstable individual.

“The attacker struck the soldier on the head with a heavy log, causing severe injury,” he stated.

It was stated that other soldiers at the scene quickly brought the situation under control, neutralising the attacker and recovering the soldier’s weapon.

The injured soldier was said to be rushed to Ikorodu General Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

“The situation was swiftly brought under control by other soldiers at the scene, who neutralised the attacker and recovered the soldiers’ weapon.

“The injured soldier was evacuated to Ikorodu General Hospital, where he was pronounced dead,” the statement added.

The army spokesperson said the deceased soldier was later buried according to Islamic rites in a ceremony attended by the acting Commanding Officer and other officers of the unit.

The army expressed condolences to the family and friends of the late soldier. It was stated that an investigation into the incident has been initiated, and the army has urged the public to exercise caution and report any suspicious activities.

“The 81 Division Nigerian Army has conveyed condolences to the family, friends, and loved ones of the deceased soldier.

“We pray for the repose of his soul and appreciate his service to the nation,” the statement concluded.

The incident adds to a growing pattern of violent attacks on security personnel in Lagos and other parts of the country.

PUNCH Metro reported on Monday how residents of Oremeji, in the Shasha area of Alimosho Local Government, were thrown into panic on November 9 when street urchins stabbed a Nigerian Air Force officer during an altercation.