The Cele Nica community in Lagos State has been plunged into mourning after a late-night robbery at a neighborhood barbershop claimed the lives of two teenagers, Chijindu and Akorede, leaving residents shaken and fearful.
According to eyewitnesses, the tragedy unfolded around 9 p.m. on Saturday when three armed men stormed a small barbershop on Abengo Close, Ojo Local Government Area, pretending to be customers. Within moments, their true intentions were revealed. The robbers ordered everyone to lie flat, dispossessing them of their money and phones before violence erupted.
“The barber said they asked Chijindu for his belongings, and he told them he only had one thousand naira,” recounted a resident, Duuni Olafeso. “That angered one of the robbers who shouted that they should waste them. The next thing we heard were gunshots.”
By the time the chaos subsided, the barber and his two young customers lay bleeding on the floor. Akorede died instantly. Chijindu, barely 18, was rushed to the hospital but succumbed to his injuries hours later, despite desperate efforts to save him. The barber survived but remains hospitalized.
For many in the tight-knit community, the loss feels deeply personal. Chijindu’s mentor, Ugochukwu, a solar panel technician, said he was like family. “We just returned from a job trip that morning. He went to get a haircut and never came back,” he told World Lens Reporter, his voice heavy with grief. “He was hardworking and responsible — I feel like a part of me is gone.”
Neighbours described Chijindu as the breadwinner of his family after his father’s death. “His mother relied on him for survival,” another resident shared. “Since his death, she has left the community — she couldn’t bear the pain.”
The barber’s shop remains shuttered, and Abengo Close has grown eerily quiet. Shop owners say the area has long battled petty crime and evening robberies. “We’ve been living in fear,” said Mrs. Mefo, who runs a nearby store. “We need more police patrols. This killing has broken our hearts.”
Police spokesperson Abimbola Adebisi could not be reached for comment as of press time, but residents are demanding swift justice and increased security presence across Ojo and its adjoining neighborhoods, where robbery and cult-related violence have become disturbingly frequent.
As candles burn in memory of Chijindu and Akorede, their story stands as another grim reminder of how fragile life has become in some corners of Lagos — where even a simple trip to the barbershop can end in tragedy.
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