The incident occurred on September 2, 2026, at about 10:40 p.m. on Freeman Street, Lagos Island. According to the police, Kolade was travelling from Ebute Metta towards Lagos Island in a black Lexus SUV with his spouse when a motorcycle allegedly collided with the vehicle from behind. An argument reportedly followed the collision.
Police spokesperson SP Abimbola Adebisi said the situation escalated after Kolade allegedly reversed the vehicle and struck the motorcycle, causing the rider and the motorcycle to fall. A group of people then gathered at the scene and allegedly attacked Kolade with dangerous weapons. His spouse was reportedly rescued by some women in the area, while the motorcycle rider survived and was taken for medical treatment.
Kolade was rushed to Lagos Island General Hospital after the attack, but he was confirmed dead. Reports indicate that he had recently returned to Nigeria from abroad ahead of his wedding, which was reportedly scheduled for later in September, making his death particularly devastating for his family and those preparing for the ceremony.
The four suspects arrested by the police were identified as Khalid Rafiq, 20; Gafar Rahim, 21; Ibrahim Azeez, 33; and Samos Momoh, 21. The command said the investigation remains ongoing and that efforts are being made to identify and arrest other people who may have participated in the attack.
The case has been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department, Panti, for further investigation and legal action. Lagos State Commissioner of Police Tijani Fatai has directed investigators to establish the full circumstances surrounding the killing and identify everyone allegedly involved. The command is treating the incident as a homicide.
The police have strongly condemned the use of mob action, stressing that members of the public have no legal authority to arrest, try, convict or punish anyone themselves. The command warned that anyone found to have participated in the killing would face prosecution.
The tragedy also highlights the wider danger of allowing disputes arising from road accidents to turn into collective punishment. Even where a motorist is suspected of causing an accident or committing another offence, responsibility for determining what happened and imposing any punishment belongs to the appropriate authorities and courts, not a crowd at the scene.
For Kolade's family, the police investigation will now be crucial in establishing exactly what happened after the road incident, identifying everyone who took part in the attack and determining individual criminal responsibility. The arrests represent an early step in that process, but they do not by themselves establish the guilt of the four suspects, who remain entitled to due process.
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