A barber identified simply as Hafiz has been shot dead inside his barbing salon along the Church Gate area of the Badagry Expressway in Lagos State, in an attack that has left residents in shock and prompted a police investigation.
The incident reportedly occurred on the night of Tuesday, July 21, when three unidentified gunmen stormed the salon shortly after Hafiz had finished attending to his last customer of the day. According to eyewitness accounts, the assailants opened fire on the victim before fleeing the scene. The motive for the attack remains unknown.
A source familiar with the incident said Hafiz had planned to close his shop after completing the customer’s haircut when the attackers arrived.
“Hafiz had just finished attending to a customer when three gunmen came into the shop and attacked him. He had already planned to close for the day once he finished with the customer’s hair before the incident happened. He was shot, and the assailants fled immediately,” the source said.
The victim was rushed to a nearby hospital, where he was confirmed dead on arrival.
An anti-cultism monitoring platform, Naija Confra, also confirmed the incident, stating that Hafiz was shot twice in the head inside his shop. The group noted that the motive behind the killing remained unclear and that there was no immediate indication the attack was linked to cult-related violence.
Residents of the area reportedly told the platform that the neighbourhood had remained largely peaceful, with no recent history of cult clashes or violent confrontations. They said they were uncertain whether the killing was connected to the victim’s business or any personal dispute.
As of the time of reporting, the Lagos State Police Command had not issued an official statement on the incident. Calls and text messages sent to the command’s spokesperson, CSP Abimbola Adebisi, were not responded to.
The killing adds to growing concerns over violent crimes in parts of Lagos, with residents calling on security agencies to identify those responsible and ensure they are brought to justice. Investigations into the circumstances surrounding the attack are ongoing.
