The Lagos State Police Command has confirmed that it will on Friday arraign a prominent leader of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), Shamsideen Adio, popularly known as Shameleon, over the alleged killing of a dispatch rider on Lagos Island.
Adio, 55, was taken into custody following an incident on September 17, 2025, along Tapa Street, Lagos Island. Eyewitnesses recounted that the confrontation began after the dispatch rider allegedly scratched Adio’s vehicle. The dispute escalated into violence, during which Adio and his associates reportedly attacked the victim.
According to accounts from residents in the area, the rider was struck repeatedly with a helmet and bare fists until he collapsed. He was immediately rushed to a nearby hospital but later died from the injuries he sustained. The case has since generated public outrage, with many condemning the manner in which the life of a working-class citizen was cut short.
Deputy Police Public Relations Officer, Bababseyi Oluseyi, confirmed that the suspect is currently being detained at the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Panti-Yaba. He added that the police are determined to ensure justice is served, stressing that the arraignment is scheduled to take place in a Lagos court on Friday.
The Lagos State House of Assembly has also intervened in the matter, describing the attack as barbaric and unacceptable. Chairman of the House Committee on Transportation, Hon. Adewale Adedeji, said the killing highlights the urgent need to curb violent tendencies among transport union leaders.
“We can just imagine a dispatch rider who left home to earn a living for himself not returning because somebody who thinks he is above the law decided to take his life,” Adedeji remarked. “The sanctity of human life has no alternative and this case must serve as a lesson to others.”
Lawmakers insisted that both Adio and his alleged accomplices must face prosecution without delay. Civil rights groups have also expressed interest in monitoring the case to ensure accountability and to discourage further acts of impunity by individuals in positions of influence within the transport sector.
The arraignment is expected to draw significant public attention as residents, lawmakers, and advocacy groups press for swift justice. Many say the case represents not just a fight for the deceased dispatch rider but also a broader struggle against the culture of violence and lawlessness that has plagued the city’s transport system.
