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Moshood Jubril, a medical practitioner and brother of the late Baale of Lotu Town, Fatai Jubril, who was allegedly murdered in the Ibeju Lekki area of Lagos State on July 15 over a land dispute, tells ABDULLATEEF FOWEWE how delayed justice for the father of seven is worsening the grief of the bereaved family
On December 16, 2023, you expressed worry over the handling of the investigation into the circumstances surrounding your brother’s killing. Can you explain what the police told you about the steps taken so far?
I am Dr Mashood Fatai. I am the elder brother of the Baale of Lotu town, the late Chief Jubril Fatai, who was shot dead over a land argument. I am a medical practitioner, and I am from the lbeju Lekki Local Government Area of Lagos State. I am a 45-year-old.
They (the police) took no action, which doesn’t surprise me given that my brother’s death remains unresolved. It is disheartening that they have not taken any measures to address the issue, reinforcing my belief that there is a lack of security in this country. Instead of seeking justice for us, they allowed those responsible to freely search for ways to resume their activities on the same land that led to my brother’s death, while claiming they wanted to negotiate with our family. Who does that? Is it reasonable for someone to kill your child and then attempt to reconcile or bribe you? For what purpose? Can their pleas and bribes justify my brother’s death, bring him back to life, or ensure the well-being and growth of the children? We don’t want their compensation and negotiation. All we need is justice, and we will keep demanding justice so that my brother’s death won’t be in vain.
Can you recall how the events that led to your brother’s death unfolded?
On July 15, 2023, around 10 am, one of my employees called me to inform me that my brother, Chief Jubril of Lotu town, was being assaulted by a group led by one of the suspects who claimed to be a community leader. Unfortunately, by the time I arrived, my brother had already been shot. One of the suspects claimed that he went there (my brother’s house) to rescue him and was not the one who shot him. However, the wife and other members of the community stated that the suspect instructed a policeman to shoot him (my brother), as both of them had arrived at the scene in the suspect’s car.
Was anyone present in the house when the attack occurred?
No one was there. Ever since the unfortunate occurrence, nobody has been living in the house. It was when one of the wives returned that she noticed everything had been removed, prompting her to contact me and request that I should inform the police, which I did immediately.
I contacted the Akodo police station, and they (policemen) came to the scene, there was chaos with men and women of all ages present at the scene accusing one of the suspects of killing my brother. The police took the corpse to their station, and it was later transferred to the mortuary. The case was then handed over to the State Criminal Investigation Department, Panti, for investigation.
Following the arrest of five members by Akodo police station, I received a call from the Investigating Police Officer at Panti that they had received a directive from Zone Two to transfer the case file to their unit. When I visited Zone Two, I was asked to introduce myself, which I did, and I was asked to provide witnesses. I brought three people, including the wife of the deceased and their children who witnessed the incident. However, since then, the police at Zone Two have not taken any action.
How has the situation affected you and your family?
The issue has been ongoing for a long time and it is impossible to go a day without being reminded of him. The memories have become indescribable. I have been burdened with everything since he passed away. However, we need the assistance of the (police at) Zone Two, particularly the AIG, and the IPO in charge of this case. We urge them to conduct a thorough investigation and promptly take it to court. Despite having done a postmortem and obtained results, the police have not taken any significant action after months. We are confused about what is happening. Initially, the case was at the (SCID) Panti, but Zone Two took over and nothing has been done since then.
Nevertheless, the government must prioritise security, especially regarding the police force, as they are not adequately protecting the citizens. It is disheartening that only the police can apprehend thieves, they (thieves) are not caught. Additionally, our judicial system requires restructuring. Moreover, based on my personal experience with this situation, I can confidently affirm that without sufficient funds or influential connections, one cannot reclaim their property from criminals. Therefore, those facing land disputes must adjust their expectations accordingly.
 You mentioned that the police asked questions when you met them. What type of questions did they ask you?
Well, it wasn’t me, but rather the witnesses who were asked questions. However, I was present when they asked them how the incident occurred, which they explained to the Assistant Inspector General of Police during the meeting.
Who is the owner of the land in dispute?
The land belongs to the Lotu family and my brother was the Baale of the Lotu community. The Lotu community is located between Museyo town and Iberekodo town. Furthermore, I am sure that the land is owned by our family and my brother was the Baale of the community, making it important to acknowledge that it belongs to our family and the entire community. However, one of the suspects falsely claimed that our father sold the land to others, despite our father never informing us of such a sale. We demanded that he provide us with the names of the buyers and evidence, but he failed to do so. This dispute escalated and tragically resulted in the death of my brother. To my surprise, it is uncommon for a land agent to lay claim to a piece of land without providing proof. Subsequently, the suspect and his lawyers went to Zone Two with the claim that the land had indeed been sold, but they have yet to provide any evidence supporting that.
It was later discovered that the lawyers were representing his interests. Additionally, we have a respected elder in our community who is over 90 years old. So, there is no chance that our father could have sold the family land without his knowledge, as he was the one who appointed my brother as the Baale of the community and took him to the traditional ruler to complete the necessary rituals. Despite reporting the situation to different police stations, we have received no positive response. On the day he (my brother) was murdered, he took the appropriate legal action by reporting the case to the police, who accompanied him to the land in question. According to witnesses present, the police who accompanied my brother fled due to the large number of people present, allowing the attackers to kill my brother. However, I believe that the police are aware of the truth, but I do not understand why they have not taken the matter to court.
 What was the reaction of the police to the claim that a policeman shot your brother?
The police officers who arrived with one of the suspects claimed that they were not the ones who shot my brother, but rather that they fired into the air to disperse the crowd. This, they said, was done to reduce the number of individuals present at the scene. We were unsure about the identity of the person who shot my brother at that junction. The police have not yet brought charges but it is evident that he was shot dead.
Did the autopsy also confirm it?
 The postmortem also confirmed it.
 Has your brother been laid to rest?
No, his body is still at the Epe morgue. After the postmortem was conducted at Lagos University Teaching Hospital, we took his corpse there.
Considering the way he was killed, do you think your brother could have had a violent confrontation with anyone involved in the matter?
From the time I understood the difference between right and wrong, I have never witnessed or heard him engaging in a brawl with anyone, except on the day they informed me that he was arguing with the individuals who eventually killed him. He was a very gentle and easygoing man, as well as a caring and responsible father. I can say that his exemplary behaviour is what led to him being appointed as the Baale of Olotu, despite not being the eldest person in the community. Even after his death, most people were unaware that I was his older brother; I later heard numerous positive remarks about him within the community.
It has had a huge significant impact on our family given that he had seven children. The question arises as to who will take care of them. Although their mother is still alive, it is a challenge for her to handle the upbringing alone. Additionally, since he had three wives, his passing has greatly affected the family’s life. Indirectly, everything is on me.
 What kind of support has your family received in dealing with this tragic event to get justice?
Our extended family has been present and supportive throughout this difficult time. We have been constantly moving from one place to another, including visits to the family lawyer. Everyone is determined to seek justice since it seems incomprehensible that an innocent person would be shot. Hence, the family stands united in their pursuit of justice.
 How has the community reacted to your brother’s death?
The community has shown immense support as well. As previously mentioned, my brother was a friend to all, He showed kindness to everyone in the community. It is truly tragic, something I cannot grasp; if it were within my grasp, I would not be so troubled. With the family’s responsibilities now solely on me, you can imagine how I feel.
What are your expectations from the government regarding your brother’s killing?
There is absolutely no sense of security in the community, especially after what happened to my brother. Can we even speak of security in Nigeria, let alone the community? Furthermore, I have not witnessed any efforts to enhance community security. It is unbelievable that unknown individuals even went on to rob my brother’s house after the incident, and went along with every valuable thing in the house.
My sole request to the government is for their intervention in ensuring the police proceed with legal action. We seek justice so that others may learn from this ordeal and refrain from committing similar crimes. However, we humbly implore the government to assist us in any way possible to attain the justice we deserve.

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