Two people have died following a violent attack at Filmhouse Cinemas IMAX in Lekki, Lagos State, in the early hours of Saturday.
Gatekeepers News reports that the incident occurred at the cinema’s car park after a yet-to-be-identified man, reportedly armed with a machete and knife, allegedly attempted to gain access to the facility but was stopped by security personnel.
According to reports, the man became violent after being prevented from entering and allegedly attacked two security personnel. One of the guards was reportedly stabbed in the chest, while the other sustained a stab wound to the back.
Lagos State Police Command spokesperson, SP Adebisi Abimbola, confirmed that two people had died in connection with the incident. She said the attacker allegedly stabbed one security guard to death and injured another before he was subsequently mobbed and died.
The police said the suspect appeared to be destitute and was suspected to have been under the influence of drugs. The Chief Security Officer of the cinema was also reportedly taken into custody as part of the investigation.
Police are working to obtain and review CCTV footage from the premises to establish the sequence of events and determine whether other people were involved.
An eyewitness, sports journalist Buchi Laba, described the incident as “one of the worst experiences” of his life. He said he had gone to watch Odyssey at the cinema, with the movie ending around 2am, when he encountered a large crowd and blood outside the facility.
Laba said he helped transport the injured security personnel to hospital, adding that one of them died while being taken for treatment.
Filmhouse Group expressed sadness over the incident and said it was working with the authorities investigating the case. The company also commended the security personnel, saying they “stood between danger and the people in their care.”
Filmhouse said additional security measures had been introduced across its locations, assuring customers that the safety and wellbeing of its staff and guests remained its priority.
The investigation into the circumstances surrounding the attack and the deaths is ongoing.
