Man Counters Police on Claim Father Committed Suicide After Killing Three

Mr. Henry Atideka, son of late DSP Charles Atideka, has contradicted the statement by the Nigeria Police Force that his father committed suicide after killing three people in Lagos State.

The deceased was alleged to have shot and killed three people, including two family members, in the Yovoyan community of Badagry, Lagos, following a protracted land dispute.

The incident occurred in the early hours of Tuesday, April 2, 2025.

Addressing the incident, the Lagos State Command’s Spokesperson, SP Benjamin Hundeyin, said the sexagenarian perpetrator took his own life after committing the act.

Hundeyin stated that the deceased allegedly ingested a poisonous substance, became unconscious, and was later rushed to the hospital, where he was confirmed dead.

“The suspect in the incident is dead. He killed three people and allegedly took poison after committing the act.

“He was thereafter rushed to the hospital, where the doctor confirmed him dead.

“His corpse and those of the victims have been deposited in the morgue,” he said.

However, Hundeyin’s claim was refuted by the late 63-year-old’s son, Henry Atideka, who said his “father didn’t commit suicide, but died due to a rise in his blood pressure (BP).”

Henry stated that his father, en route to the Badagry Police Station for interrogation as the prime suspect in a murder case, was rushed to the General Hospital in Badagry, where he was confirmed dead.

According to him, the police had visited the community shortly after the incident, leading to his father’s invitation.

He said, *“Around 8:30 a.m., my father prepared to go to the police station and called to inform me.

“But around 12:30 p.m., someone called to inform me that he had been admitted to General Hospital Badagry after collapsing and being rushed there.
“I called my brother, John Atideka, to check on him at the hospital.

“John said my father was admitted to the intensive care unit, and he paid for his admission and some drugs before going home to change.

“When my brother returned around 3:30 p.m., he could not find my father or the three policemen at the unit.

“Upon inquiry, a nurse informed him that our father had died. That was when he called me.”

Speaking further, Henry said he contacted the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) to inquire about his father’s whereabouts, but the DPO claimed ignorance of the situation.

“I arrived at the hospital around 4:00 p.m. but was initially denied access to my father’s body. After calling the DPO, I was allowed to see him.

“I saw his cold body — he was dead. The rise in his blood pressure (BP), caused by the various accusations, was what killed him.

“My father was a respected member of the Badagry community. He didn’t kill anyone.

“The police should conduct a thorough investigation to find the real culprit so his soul can rest in peace,” he told NAN.

The Medical Director of the General Hospital Badagry confirmed that the deceased was rushed to the hospital in the afternoon and died about three hours later.

“The hospital has not conducted any tests to determine the exact cause of death.

“We do not know whether the deceased committed suicide by swallowing something or if his death was due to a rise in blood pressure,” Bakare said.

Man Counters Police on Claim Father Committed Suicide After Killing Three is first published on The Whistler Newspaper