Lagos Police Seal Celestial Church Over LASU Graduate’s Alleged Murder

The Lagos State Police Command has sealed the Celestial Church of Christ (CCC) Oluwa Parish in Ojo following the alleged murder of a 28-year-old Lagos State University (LASU) graduate, Adedamola Ogunbode.

Confirming the development during a press briefing at the State Command, Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP) Benjamin Hundeyin, the command’s spokesperson, stated that the church was sealed to prevent possible reprisal attacks.

Hundeyin revealed that intelligence reports indicated that some individuals were planning to set the church ablaze in retaliation for Ogunbode’s suspected murder.

“The reason it’s being sealed for now is to protect it because we have intelligence that some people want to burn down the church out of vengeance. We don’t want that to happen. It is still a suspected crime scene,” Hundeyin stated.

He further explained that investigators might need to revisit the church multiple times to gather critical evidence.

“I still need to go over it. I may need to revisit that scene multiple times for us to gather evidential value. So, the church has been sealed for now to prevent it from being burned. And we assure the public that updates will be given about the investigation and the progress we have made as soon as we get new information,” he added.

Arrests and Ongoing Investigations

Hundeyin confirmed that three suspects were currently in police custody in connection with the case, while efforts were being made to apprehend five more individuals.

> “As for the last suspected murders, yes, according to our latest briefing, we have three suspects in custody, and the case is ongoing at the State Criminal Investigation Department. Efforts are underway to arrest five other suspects,” he said.

The police have confirmed that at least two of the suspects are currently out of the country, but steps are being taken to secure their arrest.

Father of Deceased Conducts Inspection

Meanwhile, the father of the deceased, a lawyer and human rights activist, visited the church in the early hours of Monday for further inspection. Reports indicate that no suspicious evidence was found on-site to confirm whether Ogunbode’s body was buried there or not.

Background of the Case

Ogunbode, a graduate of the Political Science Education Department at LASU, was declared missing on January 16, 2025. Before his disappearance, he was managing his private business, Horlar Edu Consultancy, on the LASU campus.

According to a family source, Ogunbode was last seen near the church, leading to speculation that he might have been taken there.

SaharaReporters previously reported that Superintendent Evangelist Whepetoji Babaniyeh, the pastor of the Celestial Church of Christ, Ileri Oluwa Parish, LASU 2, had been arrested in connection with the case.

Unconfirmed reports have also suggested that Ogunbode’s mutilated body was later discovered buried within the compound of a well-known church in the area, fueling public outrage and calls for justice.

The Lagos State Police Command has assured the public of a thorough investigation and has urged anyone with relevant information to come forward.