By: Mandy Park
The Centre for Human and Socio-Economic Rights (CHSR) has petitioned the Lagos State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Lawal Pedro (SAN), over what it described as deliberate attempts to frustrate the ongoing investigation and prosecution of suspects linked to the killings of two Ajiran community indigenes, Sheriff Ishola Salami and Prince Kazeem Ademola Akinloye.
In a petition dated June 11, 2026, and signed by its President, Comrade Alex Omotehinse, the rights group urged the Ministry of Justice to safeguard the integrity of the prosecution process and resist any external pressure capable of undermining the administration of justice.
The petition, copied to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, the Assistant Inspector-General of Police in charge of Zone 2, and the Inspector-General of Police, expressed concern over what CHSR termed a coordinated effort to distort facts surrounding the case and influence the judicial process.
According to the organisation, the case concerns the murders of Salami and Akinloye, both indigenes of the Ajiran community in Eti-Osa Local Government Area of Lagos State.
CHSR recalled that the immediate past Lagos State Commissioner of Police, now Assistant Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Moshood Olohundare Jimoh, had at a press briefing on February 19, 2026, declared a prime suspect, Alhaji Ahmed Tajudeen Akanbi, wanted following the arrest and interrogation of other suspects allegedly linked to the killings.
The group noted that police investigations, as publicly presented by the authorities, revealed confessional statements, corroborative evidence and what investigators described as a coordinated pattern of violent acts that allegedly culminated in the deaths of the two victims in separate incidents in 2023 and 2024.
The rights organisation specifically faulted a petition reportedly submitted to the Attorney-General’s office by another group, the Centre for Citizens Rights Protection (CCRP), which allegedly called for the release of the prime suspect or the granting of bail on grounds of insufficient evidence.
CHSR argued that such demands amounted to premature interference in a matter already before the courts and could prejudice the outcome of ongoing legal proceedings.
“It has come to our attention that a group operating under the name Centre for Citizens Rights Protection has advanced a narrative that constitutes a grave misrepresentation of facts and a disservice to the cause of justice,” the petition stated.
The organisation further contended that efforts to portray the suspect as a victim of persecution, despite the police’s public disclosures regarding the investigation, could erode public confidence in the justice system and cause additional pain to the families of the deceased.
The group warned that criminal prosecutions, particularly those involving allegations of murder, should be determined solely on the basis of evidence presented before a competent court and not through public campaigns or external pressure.
CHSR called on the Attorney-General to ensure that the Directorate of Public Prosecutions proceeds strictly according to law and available evidence, while maintaining its independence from political, social or institutional influence.
The organisation also urged the Ministry of Justice to resist attempts to pre-empt judicial determination of the matter, protect the interests of the victims and their families, and closely monitor any actions that could amount to intimidation, interference or abuse of legal process.
Describing the case as a major test of the state’s commitment to justice and the rule of law, CHSR maintained that the petition submitted by the CCRP was aimed at frustrating the pursuit of justice for the slain Ajiran indigenes.
“We affirm that justice must be anchored on facts, evidence and due process, and not on sentiment, influence or selective advocacy,” the group stated.
The organisation urged the Lagos State Government and relevant law enforcement agencies to ensure that the ongoing proceedings are conducted with fairness, transparency and integrity, insisting that the public expects justice to be served without fear or favour.
The killings of Sheriff Ishola Salami and Prince Kazeem Ademola Akinloye have attracted significant public attention within the Ajiran community and beyond, with residents and family members repeatedly calling for a thorough investigation and prosecution of all those found culpable.
The matter remains before the courts as investigations and legal proceedings continue.
