A business deal in Ikotun, Lagos, has ended in a very sad way. Yahaya, a well-known artisan who worked on ceiling designs using Plaster of Paris (POP), has died after being allegedly punished by a Nigerian Army sergeant. The punishment came because he didn’t complete a ₦1.5 million job.
According to police and eyewitnesses, the client, Olamide Sodiq Adeosun, paid Yahaya ₦1.5 million to install POP ceilings in his house, which is opposite Aso Rock Hotel along Abaranje Road. But Yahaya didn’t finish the work. He also stopped answering calls and didn’t give any explanation or refund. Feeling frustrated, Adeosun did something dangerous. Instead of going through the police or courts, he brought in a friend who is a soldier—Sergeant Balogun Oluwafemi—and another unidentified military man to handle the matter.
What followed was not a peaceful talk. Witnesses said Yahaya was made to do frog jumps under the hot sun as a form of punishment. While doing this, he suddenly collapsed. They rushed him to Isolo General Hospital, but the doctors said he was already dead by the time he arrived.
The Ikotun police division got involved right away. Yahaya’s body was taken to Mainland General Hospital in Yaba for an autopsy. The police arrested Adeosun, and investigations have started to find out exactly what role the army officers played in the death. So far, the Nigerian Army hasn’t made any public statement, but people in Lagos are already demanding answers. Many fear this could be another case that is quietly forgotten.
People in the area are very angry. A mechanic named Wasiu said, “It was just a POP job, not a crime, and he lost his life?” A hair stylist named Doyin asked, “Why do people always use soldiers to solve problems now?” A student named Ife added, “If civilians keep calling soldiers to collect money, everyone is at risk.”
This tragedy has also shown a worrying trend in Lagos. More and more people are calling their military friends to deal with personal problems like rent issues or business disputes. Instead of following the law, they turn to force. But as this case has shown, that choice can be deadly.
Yahaya didn’t deserve to die over an unfinished job. Even if he did something wrong, there are legal ways to resolve it. He deserved fair treatment and his right to life.
Now, many Nigerians are calling for full justice. They want the Nigerian Army to speak up. They want the police and military to carry out a full investigation. And they want those involved to be held responsible. Wearing a uniform should never give anyone the right to harm or kill another person.
