Chief Rasak Jikoji, a Lagos socialite and top contender for the Badore chieftaincy stool, who a month ago celebrated a court ruling in his favour on the chieftaincy stool has been assassinated.
Jikoji was reportedly assassinated on Sunday, April 25, 2021, while returning from a transaction over land matters in company of his personal assistance when he was attacked and shot dead.
A family member, who asked not to be identified, said Rasak was involved in a struggle for the chieftaincy stool of Badore.
The former occupant of the stool, Saliu Muraino Jikoji, died in June 2020 and the family nominated Rasak as his successor.
However, some community elders reportedly backed another candidate, whose name was forwarded to the local government secretariat.
The assailants were said to have smashed Jikoji’s skull open with a big stone to ensure that mission was accomplished on the spot.
He was rushed to the Lagos Island General Hospital, where he was pronounced dead, and the matter was reported at the Langbasa Police Station.
The victim’s aide, who spoke on condition of anonymity for security reasons, told The Punch that the attack happened around 3pm at the deceased’s house on Jikoji Court, Unity Estate, Badore.
He stated that the late socialite had invited him the previous day, adding that on getting to the house, he observed that Rasak was having a meeting with some persons.
The aide said Rasak later led his guests to a piece of land in the community.
The aide stated, “He joined them in their car, while I drove his car behind them. About 15 minutes later, he came down from their car and entered his car. He said we should return home.
“As we were approaching the gate, he wound up the glass. I was about to park when I saw two men coming towards the passenger’s side. One of them covered his face and the other had a gun.
“I believe I heard one of them say, ‘It is you that wants to become Baale’. They tried to shoot twice, but the gun did not go off. They came in front of the car and tried to shoot again.
“I put the car in reverse and tried to speed off. The road was not good and in our attempt to flee, the car ran into a ditch. Chief asked me to run out. I opened the door before they got to us. As we were running, they caught up with him.
“The second guy, who was chasing me, later went back. I looked behind and saw that chief had already engaged the other man who had the pistol. I believe that the gun fell at a point. But the guy, who went back, picked a stone and smashed it on his head. The other guy picked up the pistol and shot him.”
The aide said the suspects later escaped in a tricycle that he had earlier noticed on the premises without suspecting anything.
He added that upon his return to the scene, he saw Rasak in a pool of his own blood and raised the alarm, as his wife and other residents rushed him to the general hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
The state Commissioner of Police, Hakeem Odumosu, who confirmed the incident, said the case had been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department, Panti, Yaba.
He stated, “The two persons, who assassinated him, were in a tricycle. They accosted him while in the vehicle and fired him in the chest with what appeared to be an English pistol. He ran out, but they went after him and used a stone to break his head to ensure he died.
“The driver said before they killed him, they said, ‘So, you want to be baale, it is only someone who is alive that can become baale’. It was not a case of robbery. He was a direct target. We are working round the clock and closing in on his killers.”
