A private school in the Fadeyi area of Lagos temporarily suspended academic activities on Tuesday to honour the late Organising Secretary of the Lagos State chapter of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), Toba Ajiboye, popularly known as Toba Ijaya, who was laid to rest earlier in the day.
Great Josade School, located in Ereko, Fadeyi, where the late union leader’s residence is situated, announced the closure as a mark of respect for Ajiboye.
A banner displayed at the school’s entrance bore his photograph alongside an obituary message that read, “Please no school tomorrow in order to honour our amiable brother and father.”
The gesture came as family members, colleagues, friends, political associates and supporters gathered in Ketu, Lagos, to bid Ajiboye a final farewell. Videos circulating on social media captured emotional scenes as mourners paid their last respects during the burial ceremony.
Ajiboye died after succumbing to gunshot injuries sustained when unidentified gunmen attacked his vehicle in the Fadeyi area on Sunday evening.
Following the attack, the Lagos State Police Command launched a manhunt for the perpetrators.
Confirming the incident, the command’s spokesperson, CSP Benjamin Hundeyin, said investigations were underway.
“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,” Hundeyin said.
According to Punch, Sources familiar with the incident disclosed that Ajiboye had visited Fadeyi, where he grew up, to spend time with childhood friends before he was ambushed 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 that he didn’t make it,” a source said.
A member of the NURTW, identified simply as Taofeek, revealed that three other occupants of Ajiboye’s vehicle were also shot during the attack and remain in critical condition.
“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.
Images and videos shared online in the aftermath of the attack showed Ajiboye’s vehicle riddled with bullet holes, underscoring the severity of the assault.
Reacting to the killing, the Chairman of the Lagos State NURTW, Mustapha Adekunle, popularly known as Sego, described the deceased as a loyal ally, trusted friend and committed union leader whose contributions to the organisation would not be forgotten.
“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 Facebook tribute.
The motive behind the attack remains unknown as police continue investigations to identify and apprehend those responsible for the killing.
