The intense police manhunt for Olakunle Sodeinde, the 40-year-old man who escaped from custody after being arrested for alleged homosexual activities, has received strong public backing from community leaders in the Akoka-Bariga axis of Lagos. Sodeinde’s flight from justice follows a violent mob attack that ultimately led to the death of his partner, Tunde Bolaji.
Community leaders, including elder statesman Fashehun Joseph and women’s rights advocate Oluwatoyin Akande, spoke out on Thursday, expressing solidarity with the police and urging security agencies to swiftly re-apprehend Sodeinde to face the law.
Mr. Joseph commended the police for their “timely intervention in rescuing the two men from the hands of an angry mob,” but insisted that the rule of law must prevail now that one man has tragically died and the other has escaped.
“While we do not support jungle justice, we cannot tolerate acts that violate our cultural norms and the laws of the land,” Joseph stated. “The police must complete their investigation, and Mr. Sodeinde must be brought back to answer for his actions and his escape. It is a matter of justice for the deceased and upholding community standards.”
Mrs. Akande, addressing the sensitive nature of the case, emphasized the need for vigilance. “The law on same-sex relationships is clear in this country,” she said.
“The fact that one person died from injuries sustained during the chaos and the other fled custody is unacceptable. We fully support the police and the Oodua Progressive Congress (OPC) in declaring this individual wanted. Our community must remain safe and free from illegal and immoral activities that threaten our youths.”
The Incident and The Fatal Aftermath
The initial incident occurred on Saturday, September 8, when Sodeinde and Bolaji attended a night party in Akoka-Bariga. The situation escalated when the men were caught engaging in a same-sex act inside Bolaji’s car by a local vigilante group, the OPC.
The vigilantes launched a brutal attack, beating both men severely with charms and cutlasses. Police officers, responding to the escalating violence, intervened and transported the two critically injured men to a hospital, where they were to be treated before facing prosecution under Nigeria’s anti-gay laws.
A police source confirmed on Thursday that Sodeinde’s partner, Tunde Bolaji, tragically succumbed to his injuries the following day.
“We discovered the remains of his partner the next day by the roadside, and he has been identified as Tunde Bolaji,” the source stated, noting that Bolaji died on September 9 due to complications from the assault.
There is speculation that Sodeinde escaped due to the fear of his partner’s death, which might also be his own fate in the community.
