Tragedy struck in the Satellite Town area of Lagos State on Sunday night when a well-known hairstylist, Sebastine Timothy, was shot dead by suspected cultists or armed robbers. The attack occurred along Olasanoye Street, shortly after Timothy returned home from work.

According to a police source who spoke anonymously, the armed men broke into Timothy’s apartment, robbed him of valuables, and allegedly forced him to transfer money from his bank account before shooting him in the head. The suspects then fled the scene, leaving neighbours to discover his lifeless body after hearing gunshots.

However, an online platform known as Confra Naija, which reports on cult-related incidents, claimed the killing was cult-related. The outlet alleged that members of the Eiye confraternity had gone to attack Timothy’s brother, a suspected member of a rival group, Aye, but turned on Timothy when they couldn’t find their target. The post stated that the attackers forced Timothy to unlock his phone, transferred money, and then shot him.

When contacted, the Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, Abimbola Adebisi, confirmed the incident but gave a slightly different version. According to her, Timothy sustained a head injury during a fight with unidentified men in the area.

“He died on his way to the hospital. The police are still investigating to determine if it was a gunshot wound or a machete injury,” she explained.

The police have launched an investigation into the killing to uncover the true cause and bring those responsible to justice.