Police arrest NURTW leader for alleged murder in Lagos

The Lagos State Police Command has arrested a leader of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) over allegations of assault and murder. The police said the suspect they identified as Shamsideen Adio, popularly known as Shameleon, is currently being held at the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Panti-Yaba, where discreet investigations into the two cases are ongoing.

The 55-year-old man, according to a statement by the Command’s Deputy Police Public Relations Officer, Babaseyi Oluseyi, on Friday, allegedly attacked a dispatch rider on Lagos Island, using a helmet and fists to inflict serious injuries. The victim, who was rushed to the hospital, is said to be on oxygen and still receiving treatment. “The Lagos State Police Command has arrested one Samsideen Oladiti ‘m’, popularly known as “Shameleon”, aged 55, in connection with two violent crimes on Lagos Island involving a case of murder and another of assault occasioning harm,” the statement partly read.

“The suspect is currently in the custody of the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Panti-Yaba, for discreet investigation.” The Command’s deputy spokesman also explained that a separate complaint had earlier been lodged against the suspect over an incident on August 28, 2025. He noted that during an altercation, Adio allegedly used a metallic ring to repeatedly strike another man on the head and face, leaving him with severe injuries.

Oluseyi said that despite medical care, the victim died on September 17, 2025, and his remains had since been deposited in the mortuary for autopsy. It was gathered that the news of the man’s death triggered protests at the suspect’s office in Sandgrouse Market, Lagos Island, where sympathisers of the deceased set two of Adio’s motorcycles ablaze, heightening tension in the area.

Worried by the situation, the Commissioner of Police, Lagos State Command, Olohundare Jimoh, led mobile policemen, tactical squads, and conventional officers to the scene to restore normalcy.
He assured residents that the suspect remains in custody and will be prosecuted once investigations are concluded. The police boss also appealed to Lagos residents to remain calm and law-abiding, stressing that the command is committed to ensuring justice.