A well-known Lagos hairstylist, Sebastine Timothy, was tragically shot dead in the Satellite Town area of Lagos State, in what police sources say may have been a targeted attack.

According to an anonymous police source, the incident occurred on Sunday night along Olasanoye Street, shortly after Timothy returned home from work. The assailants reportedly broke into his apartment, dispossessed him of his belongings, and allegedly transferred an undisclosed sum from his bank account before shooting him in the head. The attackers fled immediately after the assault, leaving neighbours to discover Timothy’s lifeless body.

An online platform, Confra Naija, known for exposing cult-related activities, claimed the attack was cult-related. According to the report, Timothy was mistakenly targeted after the assailants, believed to be members of the Eiye confraternity, failed to find his brother, who is allegedly affiliated with a rival group, Aye.

“The Eiye cultists came to attack Sebastine’s brother. When they didn’t find him, they turned on Sebastine, who told them his brother wasn’t around. They forced him to unlock his phone, transferred money, took his phone, and shot him in the head,” the platform reported.

The Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, Abimbola Adebisi, confirmed Timothy’s death but gave a slightly different account, stating that the victim sustained a fatal head injury during a confrontation with unidentified men.

“He sustained an injury to the head and died on his way to the hospital. The police cannot confirm yet if it was a gunshot wound or a machete cut. The family reported the case at the station and later took his body to the mortuary,” Adebisi said.

The tragic death of Sebastine Timothy has sparked concerns over rising cult-related violence and insecurity in parts of Lagos, with residents calling for increased security measures to protect lives and property.