By Our Reporter
Shock and anger continue to haunt Lagos following the mysterious death of four young creatives who were found lifeless inside a music studio in the Ajah area of the state after sleeping there overnight.
The tragic incident occurred at a studio located within the HFP Shopping Complex along the Abraham Adesanya axis of Ajah. The victims, identified as Mathew Ogundele, Itunu Ogundele, Joseph Sanya and a blogger, Mathew Awosanya, were reportedly part of a small music crew engaged for a three-day birthday praise programme.
Three of the deceased were members of a gospel musician’s band, while the fourth was a blogger contracted to publicise the event. Police sources said the quartet had stayed back in the studio after a late-night session and decided to sleep over, only to be discovered dead the following morning.
According to information from the Ajah Police Division, the incident was reported by the studio owner’s husband, who disclosed that food had been purchased for the artistes on the night they slept in the studio. When he returned the next morning, the studio door was reportedly locked from the inside, raising immediate alarm.
The door was eventually forced open, and the four young people were found lying motionless. They were rushed to a government hospital on the Mainland, where doctors confirmed them dead. Their bodies were later deposited at the hospital mortuary for autopsy.
Detectives were immediately mobilised to the scene, where photographs were taken and preliminary investigations commenced. The Lagos State Police Command confirmed that one suspect, described as the organiser of the programme, has been taken into custody, while the case has since been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Panti, for further investigation.
Police spokesperson, SP Abimbola Adebisi, said no visible signs of violence were observed on the bodies, adding that investigators are awaiting the autopsy report to determine the exact cause of death. She assured that further details would be made public as investigations progress.
As official probes continue, grief has turned into public outrage, fuelled by disturbing images and videos circulating on social media, showing what appeared to be swelling and stains around the noses, ears and mouths of the deceased. The images have intensified speculation and calls for transparency.
Adding a human face to the tragedy, the mother of one of the victims broke down in tears in an emotional video circulating online, pleading with Nigerians to help her seek justice. She described the deaths as painful and suspicious, recounting how the families searched endlessly for the young men after they could no longer be reached on their phones.
“They went for a show and never returned,” she lamented, questioning what they may have been given to eat and why four healthy young people would go to sleep and never wake up.
Friends, colleagues and fellow artistes have also taken to social media to demand a thorough, independent investigation, insisting that the circumstances surrounding the deaths must be fully explained. Many have described the incident as a grim reminder of the vulnerability of young creative minds navigating the entertainment space.