The police in Lagos have arrested a man, Ifeanyi Okpoko, for allegedly shooting an estate agent, Kazeem Opagun, who came to work on his ex-wife’s property in the Ajao Estate area of the state.
Our correspondent learnt that Okpoko allegedly shot the agent, when the latter and another colleague, identified as Lanre Aromasodu, asked Ifeanyi to produce the landed property documents when he met them on the site.
It was learnt that the agent was hospitalised for three days.
PUNCH Metro learnt that Ifeanyi and his former wife had had issues on the parcel of land since they divorced, and there had been threats from both parties.
It was learnt that two estate agents had gone to the site last Tuesday, at about 12pm, to work on the land.
The estate agents were said to have been accompanied by two policemen from the Zone 2 Command, Onikan, who were not in uniform because of the threats on the land.
PUNCH Metro gathered that while the agents were on the property located on Alhaji Lukman Atobajeun Street in Ajao Estate, Okpoko drove to the scene and allegedly demanded to know the mission of the men.
The agents were said to have asked Okpoko to produce the documents of the land, after which he allegedly went to his car, brought out a gun and shot at the estate agents, injuring Opagun in the leg.
It was learnt that the policemen arrested Okpoko and took him to the Ajao Estate Police Division, before taking him to Zone 2.
Speaking with PUNCH Metro, Aromasodu said Okpoko allegedly shot his colleague, saying they did not have the authority to work on his ex-wife’s property.
He said, “We went to the site at about 12pm. We were contracted by Mr. Ifeanyi’s ex-wife. He met us on the site and was enraged. We asked him to produce the documents if he was the owner. Instead, he brought out a rifle.
“I was his target. I was the one who told him to produce his documents. The policemen with us also showed him their identity cards. He said we did not have the authority to work on his ex-wife’s property; he shot my partner in the leg.”
Another witness, who declined identification, said Okpoko had gone to the Ajao Estate Police Division to make a report, when the policemen from Zone 2 arrested him.
He said, “The suspect thought somebody was trespassing on a property that belonged to his wife. He brought out a gun instead of land documents and shot the estate agent in the legs.
“Mr. Okpoko ran inside his car and headed for the police station, where the police from Zone 2, who witnessed the shooting, arrested him.
“A threat to life had already been reported to Zone 2. That was why the policemen came with the estate agents.”
Our correspondent learnt that the police had yet to recover the gun allegedly used by Okpoko.
The Zonal Police Public Relations Officer, CSP Adebowale Lawal, said on Sunday that he would verify and get back to our correspondent on Monday (today).
