Two musicians identified as Ajibawo Lawal and Sunday Akhigbe were found dead, while two other artists including the studio manager were found lying unconscious in a studio around 7am at the Awolusi Bus stop in the Alagbado area of Lagos State.
WITHIN NIGERIA learnt that the deceased musicians and their hospitalised colleagues had performed all night in the studio before they were discovered in critical condition in the morning after neighbours broke into the building through the window. Cause of death could not be immediately confirmed because residents also brought out a generator that was working and some hard drugs from the studio, fueling speculations that they might have died from fumes or effects of hard drugs.
Narrating the incident, one of the resident of the building where the studio is located said “Nobody came out from the studio while a generator was left working. So, neighbours became suspicious and broke into the building through the window. Apart from the dead artistes, they met two others in a terrible condition. We had to rush them to a private hospital. The police have taken over the case and we don’t know the state of the men in the hospital.”
Policemen from the Alagbado division have confirmed the incident. The Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, SP Muyiwa Adejobi, also confirmed the incident, noting that investigations are ongoing.
“We received a distress call from an anonymous caller that a crowd was seen converging on a studio at Alagbado where rumour had it that some persons died inside.
“Upon receipt of the information, police operatives went to the scene, which is Coded Music Recording Studio at Awolusi bus stop. Two artistes, Ajibawo Lawal, 37, and Sunday Akhigbe, 12, were met inside the studio dead.
“One Mr Bamidele Olajide, neighbour of the same address had earlier met Dare Obadina and Azeez in a critical condition. A search was conducted inside the studio and the generator, condoms, bread and food that the deceased vomited and substances suspected to be hard drugs, including Indian hemps were found in the studio.
“Meanwhile, one Muritala Azeez, the owner of the studio, who is already in custody, admitted to having hired and kept them there and identified them as artistes who produce music for him. He further stated that he was with them physically on the previous night and later on the phone with them until 2am of September 3.”
“Two were found dead while another two were unconscious and rushed to the hospital including the manager of the studio. Preliminary investigation showed there was a generator working. Maybe the fumes of the generator caused the problem but we won’t just say that because we need medical expertise to reveal it. There is no suspect for now because even the owner of the studio was also unconscious.”
