A retired Deputy Superintendent of Police, DSP, Charles Atideka, has allegedly taken his own life after reportedly killing three family members over a land dispute in Badagry, Lagos State.
The Lagos State Police Command confirmed the incident on Thursday, stating that the 63-year-old ex-officern Tuesday, before allegedly ingesting poison.
DAILY POST had reported that the victims are Mr Richard Atideka, Mrs Latevi Atideka both from the Yovoyan community and Mr Muji Onilude from the neighboring Gberefu community.
A survivor, Mr David Atideka, recounted the attack, which occurred between 2:00 a.m. and 2:30 a.m. in the Atideka compound.
The Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, SP Benjamin Hundeyin, confirmed the deaths, stating, “The suspect in the incident is dead. He killed three people and allegedly took poison after committing the act.
”He was thereafter rushed to the hospital, where the doctor confirmed him dead. His corpse and those of the victims have been deposited in the morgue.”;
However, the son of the deceased, Mr Henry Atideka, disputed the claim that his father committed suicide.
He alleged that his father collapsed and died while heading to the Badagry Police Station for interrogation.
“When the police visited our community shortly after the incident, my father was invited to the station in Badagry for interrogation as the prime suspect,”; Henry said. “Around 8:30 a.m., my father prepared to go to the police station and called to inform me,
“But around 12:30 p.m., someone called to inform me that he had been admitted to General Hospital Badagry after collapsing and being rushed there.”;
Henry further claimed that his brother, John Atideka, arrived at the hospital to find their father under police guard. “John said my father was admitted to the intensive care unit, and he even paid for his admission and some drugs.
But when he returned around 3:30 p.m., my father and the three policemen guarding him were nowhere to be found,”; he added.
The family maintains that medical records from General Hospital Badagry do not confirm suicide.
“The rise in his blood pressure, caused by the various accusations, was what killed him. My father was a respected member of the Badagry community. He didn’t kill anyone,”; Henry insisted.
Meanwhile, the Medical Director of General Hospital Badagry, Dr Olatunde Bakare, confirmed that Charles Atideka was brought to the hospital in the afternoon and died about three hours later.
“The hospital has not conducted any tests to determine the exact cause of death. We do not know whether the deceased committed suicide by swallowing something or if his death was due to a rise in blood pressure,”; Bakare stated.
Meanwhile, police investigations into the incident are ongoing to clarify the circumstances surrounding both the killings and the suspect’s death.
