Oshodi Gang Clash: Caterer Admits Shooting At Scene, Says Police Were Targeted By Mistake

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LAGOS – What began as an alleged revenge mission by a group of suspected gang members in Oshodi ended in a dramatic exchange of gunfire with police officers. According to one of those arrested, the group mistakenly opened fire on a patrol team they believed to be members of a rival faction.

A 45-year-old caterer, Tosin Agbeyangi, arrested after a gun battle between suspected gang members and policemen in Mafoluku, Oshodi, Lagos, has admitted that he was part of a group that opened fire during the incident, but claimed that the officers were not their intended target.

Agbeyangi, who was injured during the exchange of gunfire and subsequently arrested by the police, told journalists that the group had gone to the area as part of a planned attack against a rival gang following the alleged killing of one of their member identified as Samuel.

The suspect, however, claimed that the group did not know that policemen were stationed in the area when shots were fired.

The incident, which occurred around Mabolaje Street, Mafoluku, Oshodi, has drawn attention to alleged rivalry among street groups operating within parts of Oshodi and its environs.

According to police sources, the suspected gang members were believed to have moved into the area on the night of June 15, 2026, in what was suspected to be a planned attack on rival members reportedly staying around the residence of a prominent Lagos transport union figure, Kokonzaria.

A source attached to the Commissioner of Police Special Squad 1 told journalists that the incident happened at about 10:45 p.m. when police operatives on patrol noticed unusual activities around the area.

The source said the suspected gang members allegedly opened fire, unaware that the people they were shooting towards were policemen.

“On June 15, 2026, around 10:45 p.m., at Mabolaje Street, Mafoluku, Oshodi, one of the leaders of NURTW in Lagos State, Kokonzaria, was with some people in his house.

“Tosin Agbeyangi, 45, led some cult members to the area to attack some suspected rival members who were believed to be around the location.

“Unknown to them, some policemen who were on patrol had stopped in the area to see what was happening. The shooting was directed towards where the policemen were positioned, and the officers responded,” the source said.

The police source added that the suspects immediately fled after the exchange of gunfire, forcing officers in the area to launch a search operation.

According to him, the Divisional Police Officer in charge of the area quickly mobilised his men, who traced blood stains to a nearby canal where Agbeyangi was found with gunshot injuries on his leg.

A locally-made pistol with one live cartridge and a Brownie pistol magazine containing five live rounds were recovered from the injured suspect, the source added.

Narrating his side of the incident, Agbeyangi admitted that he and others were at the scene but insisted that they were not aware they were exchanging gunfire with security operatives.

“My name is Tosin Agbeyangi. I am 45 years old and I am a caterer. I cook at parties for a lot of people. I even cooked for Koko Zaria when he was celebrating his birthday.

“I don’t have any problem with him and I am not part of those who wanted to kill him,” he said.

The suspect explained that the group’s mission was targeted at members of a rival group whom he accused of killing one of their associates.

According to him, the incident was a planned reprisal attack.

“We were coming from a birthday party around Araromi area of Oshodi when we decided to go and check our rival gang members from Araromi Orile, who usually stayed in front of Koko Zaria’s house.

“There were about five or six of us. Some of them came from Mushin, while only about three of us were from Oshodi.

“We wanted to go and attack them because they killed one of us, Samuel, some days before we invaded their area,” he said.

Agbeyangi claimed that the shooting was started by another member of the group identified as Temidayo, who he alleged was in possession of the weapon.

“It was Temidayo that shot into the area. He was among those who came from Mushin. I don’t really know him. We used to meet in the ghetto,” he said.

The suspect, however, said that he was aware that the group intended to confront their rivals but denied that there was a plan to kill anyone. “We didn’t have any determination to go and kill them.

We only wanted to attack them. We only wanted to shoot in the air. “Temidayo held the gun. He was the one who shot. I was hit by bullets from the policemen,” he said.

The suspect also confirmed that the firearm and ammunition recovered by the police were found in his possession but claimed that he only took custody of them temporarily.

He said the weapon belonged to Temidayo, whom he described as one of the persons who joined the group from outside Oshodi.

Beyond the shooting incident, Agbeyangi’s account also shed light on the alleged rivalry among street groups in Oshodi, with the suspect claiming that two factions have been operating in the area.

He alleged that one faction identifies with Oluomo Nation, while another identifies with Koko Zaria Nation.

“In Oshodi now, there are two factions of boys. There are those who belong to Oluomo Nation and there are those who belong to Koko Zaria.

“Those boys from Orile Oshodi who usually stay in Mabolaje are Koko Zaria Nation, while those from Mafoluku, Ewu and Eniyanlobinu areas are Oluomo Nation members,” he claimed.

The suspect, however, denied that the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) was involved in the alleged confrontation or that any transport union leader sponsored the attack.

“We are not members of the National Union of Road Transport Workers and it is not that these people are giving us any money. We just support them,” he said.

His statement has raised questions about the relationship between street groups and informal support networks around transport union structures in some parts of Lagos, although the claims remain allegations by the suspect.

The police have not accused any transport union leader of involvement in the incident.

The Lagos State Police Command, while confirming Agbeyangi’s arrest, warned individuals involved in violent activities across the state to desist or face prosecution.

The command’s spokesperson, Abimbola Adebisi, said the police would continue to take decisive action against criminal elements and ensure that residents were protected.

Security observers have continued to express concern over the activities of suspected cult groups and street gangs in parts of Lagos, noting that disputes between rival groups can quickly escalate into violence affecting residents and businesses.

Oshodi, one of Lagos’ busiest commercial hubs, has historically experienced security challenges linked to street clashes, transport-related disputes and the activities of suspected criminal groups.

The latest incident has again brought attention to the need for stronger intelligence gathering, community policing and sustained efforts to prevent rival groups from turning personal disputes into public security threats.

For now, Agbeyangi remains in police custody as investigations continue into the shooting incident, the alleged gang rivalry and the circumstances surrounding the attack that left policemen exchanging gunfire with suspected gang members.