The Centre for Human and Socio-Economic Rights has written to the Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Mudashiru Obasa. They are asking lawmakers to protect the ongoing murder trial of suspects linked to the deaths of two people from the Ajiran community in Eti-Osa Local Government Area, Lagos State.
The letter, dated June 15, 2026, was signed by the President of CHSR, Comrade Alex Omotehinse. It was sent to the Speaker through the Lagos State House of Assembly office in Alausa, Ikeja.
In the petition titled “Petition on the Need for Urgent Legislative Intervention in the Ongoing Trial of Murder Case Involving Ajiran Community Indigenes,” the group expressed worries about attempts to change public opinion about the trial.
CHSR reminded everyone that during a press briefing on February 19, 2026, the then Commissioner of Police, now Assistant Inspector-General of Police, declared Ahmed Akanbi wanted. This followed arrests and confessions allegedly linked to the murders of Sheriff Ishola Salami, a youth leader, and Prince Kazeem Ademola Akinloye.
The group said police investigations had revealed confessions, supporting evidence, and coordinated violence tied to the murders that happened in 2023 and 2024.
CHSR raised concerns about the petition, saying it seemed to challenge evidence already in court. They also claimed someone was trying to change the facts around the case.
The group warned that any interference in the court process could seriously affect justice and public trust. They stated, “Deliberate misleading interference will weaken trust in the justice system.”
They added that such actions could reopen wounds for the families affected and the Ajiran community.
The petition stressed that “criminal proceedings must remain grounded in evidence tested in court, not external pressure.”
CHSR urged the House of Assembly to make sure judicial proceedings are safe from outside influence. “There is a need to safeguard judicial integrity to discourage any form of interference or narrative capable of undermining court proceedings,” the petition noted.
The group emphasized the importance of transparency and accountability to ensure that everyone follows due process and the rule of law. They insisted that justice must be based on facts and evidence.
“Any attempt to distort facts or pervert the cause of justice in this matter constitutes a grave disservice to the victims, their families, the Ajiran community and the public at large. Justice must remain anchored on facts, evidence and due process, not sentiment or selective advocacy,” the petition said.
CHSR urged the Lagos State House of Assembly to support the judicial process and avoid any actions that could undermine justice. “We therefore call on the Lagos State House of Assembly under your leadership to lend unalloyed support to the cause of justice in this matter,” Omotehinse wrote.
He also stated, “We expect that the leadership of the Lagos State House of Assembly will not allow the legislature to be drawn into the gambit of falsehood aimed at subverting justice.”
The petition ended by highlighting the case as a key test of integrity and accountability in Lagos State. They expressed confidence that the judiciary and law enforcement would ensure justice is served.
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