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The Gani Fawehinmi Organization (GAFORG) has called for expedited justice for the slained dispatch rider in Tapa Street, Lagos Island to serve as deterrence for other lawless individuals still parading themselves under the guise of an association to perpetrate evil.
In a statement jointly signed by GAFORG’s General Secretary Comrade Agbedina Omokehinde and the Publicly Secretary Comrade Akintunde Adedeji, the group condemned vehemently a murderous act committed by a member of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) Shamsideen Adio popularly known as “Shamelion”.
The group alleged that Adio had serially assaulted people physically, and that he masterminded the beating to stupor and battering a dispatch rider in Tapa Street, Lagos Island to death without justification.
GAFORG opines that the act is a heinous crime against the constitutionally afforded right to life of the individual concerned and justice must be adequately served on the matter, while urging the concerned authorities not to treat the case with kid gloves.
The statement titled, “GAFORG CONDEMN THE BRUTAL, BARBARIC AND MURDEROUS ACT OF A NOTORIOUS NURTW CHIEFTAIN, SHAMSIDEEN ADIO ALIAS “SHAMELON” FOR BEATING A DISPATCH RIDER TO DEATH AND ALSO SEEK FOR IMMEDIATE JUSTICE”, speaks to the need to tackle criminal tendency in the society.
It read in parts: “A video of the unfortunate incident went viral online on September 18, 2025, which captured vividly the senseless, irrational and condemnable act of the NURTW member alongside his associates, battering and brutalizing the dispatch rider unrestrained, until life was snuffed out the helpless victim, after efforts to assist him gain consciousness when collapsed, due to the repeated attacks.
“GAFORG acknowledge the sanctity of human lives as an inalienable right of every Nigerian, a fundamental human right enshrined in the Grundnorm, 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (CFRN) as amended, which confer and recognize the “RIGHT TO LIFE” that must be enjoyed by all, thus nobody no matter how highly placed, possess or have the right to take another man’s life, which is a capital crime, unless by the Court, after due process of the law.
“Due to the grave assault on the dispatch rider by the NURTW member, which unfortunately led to his untimely death, our organization is fully aware of the arrest of the “criminal”/ suspect by the Lagos Police Command and taken into custody to face the full wrath of the law.
“GAFORG hereby call on the Commissioner of Police, Lagos to institute a detailed, diligent, unbiased, transparent and thorough investigation on the criminal act of Shamsideen, while ensure he have his day(s) in the court of law, to allow justice served and dispensed accordingly after the course of prosecution, because no one should be seen or treated as being above the law, thus a case of “sacred cow” should not be entertained by the authorities, just to serve as deterrent to others like him.”
The group however, commended the NURTW Chairman in Lagos Alhaji Mustapha Adekunle Sego for his proactive mien on the matter, by swift issuance of a statement to condemn the act and clearly dissociating and distancing the union from the ugly incident.
While urging him to commence a sensitization, enlightenment and training program for all his members in Lagos and educate them on public conduct and how to be a good citizen without exhibiting thuggery, sanitise the entire body from errant members, who bring NURTW into disrepute, due to the notoriety of some.
“Our society must be rid of lawless citizens, who takes laws into their hands at will without recourse to the law of the land, because they are privileged with backings and covert support from people within the corridors of power and at the top, while justice for the deceased dispatch rider must not be delayed for whatever reason in ensuring the culprit face the consequence(s) of his condemnable and criminal act accordingly, without compromise from any quarter.” GAFORG reiterates.
