By Olatunbosun Obafemi
The Lagos State Police Command has arrested a senior member of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), identified as 55-year-old Shamsideen Adio, popularly known as Shameleon, over allegations of assault and murder.
According to a statement issued on Friday by the Deputy Police Public Relations Officer, Babaseyi Oluseyi, Adio is currently being held at the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Panti-Yaba, where detectives are conducting discreet investigations into two separate cases.
The police explained that the first incident involved an attack on a dispatch rider on Lagos Island. Adio allegedly used a helmet and his fists to assault the victim, inflicting severe injuries. The rider, who was rushed to hospital, remains in critical condition and is said to be on oxygen.
In a separate case, Adio has also been linked to a violent altercation that occurred on August 28, 2025. During that clash, police say he used a metallic ring to repeatedly strike another man on the head and face. Despite receiving medical treatment, the victim succumbed to his injuries on September 17, 2025. His body has since been deposited in a mortuary for autopsy.
The victim’s death sparked protests around Adio’s office at the Sandgrouse Market area of Lagos Island. Sympathisers of the deceased reportedly set two of the suspect’s motorcycles ablaze, creating tension in the neighbourhood.
Responding swiftly to the unrest, the Lagos Commissioner of Police, Olohundare Jimoh, led a combined team of mobile policemen, tactical squads, and conventional officers to the scene to restore order. The Commissioner assured residents that the suspect remains in custody and would face prosecution once investigations are concluded.
“The Lagos State Police Command remains committed to ensuring justice is served,” Oluseyi said in the statement. He also appealed to residents to remain calm and law-abiding, urging the public to trust the police process.
The high-profile arrest has reignited concerns over violent incidents linked to transport union leaders in the state. Many residents are now watching closely to see whether this case signals a firmer stance by law enforcement against such acts of impunity.
