Family, friends, and supporters came together in Ketu, Lagos, on Tuesday to say goodbye to Toba Ajiboye, the late Organising Secretary of the Lagos State chapter of the National Union of Road Transport Workers, known as Toba Ijaya.
Videos on social media showed a large crowd attending the burial. Mourners shared emotional moments as they paid their last respects to the fallen union leader.
Ajiboye died from gunshot wounds he got when unknown gunmen attacked his vehicle in the Fadeyi area of Lagos on Sunday evening.
PUNCH Online had reported that the Lagos State Police Command started a manhunt for the attackers after the shooting.
Police Public Relations Officer, Abimbola Adebisi, confirmed what happened. She said the police had started an investigation and were working to catch those responsible.
"The incident happened on Sunday, and one person died. He is a member of the transport union in Lagos. Investigation has commenced, while efforts are ongoing to apprehend the killers," the police spokesperson said.
Sources close to the situation said Ajiboye went to Fadeyi to visit childhood friends before he was attacked while leaving the area.
"He had visited the area on Sunday as he regularly did because that was where he grew up. He was leaving that evening when some gunmen shot at his vehicle.
"He was rushed to the hospital, and we believed he was responding to treatment until we were informed this morning that he didn’t make it," the source said.
A member of the union, Taofeek, revealed that three other people in Ajiboye’s vehicle were also shot and remained in the hospital.
"There were about three other people in the vehicle. They also sustained gunshot wounds. Their condition is very serious as we speak. The doctors are battling to save them. We pray that they survive," he said.
Pictures and videos shared online after the attack showed Ajiboye’s vehicle full of bullet holes.
Mustapha Adekunle, the Chairman of the Lagos State NURTW, known as Sego, reacted to the killing. He described Ajiboye as a loyal ally, dependable friend, and committed union leader.
"The news of the sudden passing of Comrade Toba Ajiboye has left me deeply saddened and heartbroken. It is difficult to come to terms with the loss of such a loyal, dependable, and committed ally.
"Comrade Toba Ajiboye was more than an ally; he was a trusted friend, a man of steadfast loyalty and unwavering commitment, and a true pillar of TeamSego and SegoNation. His friendship, unwavering support, and selfless dedication to the union over the years will forever remain etched in my heart," Sego said in a tribute on Facebook.
Ajiboye’s death has sparked mixed reactions online. While many mourned him as a loyal union leader, philanthropist, and community benefactor, others said his legacy cannot be separated from long-standing claims of violence and issues in transport union politics in Lagos.
The reason for the attack remains unclear as police investigations are still ongoing.
Drop your comment
No comments yet — be the first to drop the gist 👇