The Life and Death of Alhaji Gay (Tunji Alaso) — A Comprehensive Report ~ Report Naija

Introduction

The story of Alhaji Gay — born Tunji Rasaq Olaniyi (also often referred to as “Tunji Alaso”) — is among the most controversial and sensational in recent Lagos history. From alleged land-grabbing and posing as a law-enforcement informant to extortion of cyber-fraudsters (so-called “Yahoo boys”), his rise and violent fall offer a stark snapshot of crime, vigilante justice, and community tensions in parts of Lagos. This report pieces together the known facts, allegations, and aftermath of his life and death.

Early Life and Background

Tunji Alaso was said to be a native of Ogbomoso, in Oyo State.
He relocated to the Alagbado area of Lagos (specifically Temidire / Alagbado in the Agbado-Oke-Odo Local Government Area) and established himself as a hotelier / real-estate operator. Locals came to know him simply as “Alhaji Gay.”
Over time, he built a portfolio of properties — several hotels and buildings — reportedly worth hundreds of millions of naira.

Activities, Allegations and Controversies

Alhaji Gay was associated with a range of criminal allegations. Key among them:

Impersonation and extortion: He was known for impersonating law-enforcement or anti-fraud agencies (claims of working for Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, or EFCC), using that guise to intimidate and extort suspected “Yahoo boys” (internet fraudsters) and others, demanding money or property to spare them from arrest.
Sexual assault and rape allegations: In 2009, he was declared wanted by the police (Area ‘G’, Ogba, Lagos) after an 18-year-old boy accused him of sexual assault. The boy alleged that he was lured to Alhaji Gay’s house under promises of a lucrative job, drugged, and raped.
Land-grabbing and harassment of landlords/residents: He was widely accused of using thugs and corrupt security agents to forcibly seize lands, intimidate landlords, seize or control properties, and generally terrorise parts of Alagbado.
Violence and use of charms / intimidation tactics: According to community accounts, he allegedly used charms and had a network of corrupt agents to keep control.

Because of these allegations, many in the community viewed him as a menace, while others feared the power — both criminal and pseudo-official — that he wielded.

Wealth and Properties

Because of his activities, Alhaji Gay reportedly amassed substantial wealth:

Some sources estimate his estate and assets at over N400 million.
He had built a hotel on Amikanle, Alagbado that cost around N100 million.
Additional properties — hotels and buildings along AIT Road and other areas in Alagbado — valued at tens of millions of naira.
Land and real-estate holdings across parts of Lagos state were also reportedly part of his portfolio.

But despite the wealth, rumours and hatred had long mounted against him, largely because of his methods and alleged victims.

What Led to His Death — The Trigger

Tensions between Alhaji Gay and local landlords/residents escalated over time. According to investigations, the final straw was a land dispute:

On 20 July 2015, a protest was organised by landlords and residents of the Temidire / Alagbado community against what they described as years of harassment, land grabbing, intimidation, and unlawful control by Alhaji Gay and his thugs.
The protest began peacefully around 10:00 a.m., with chants and placards decrying his activities.
The protest reportedly got security protection early on — patrol vans from the local police arrived to keep order.
But things took a dramatic turn: Alhaji Gay allegedly arrived with a contingent of his loyalists (“boys”), in a black “space bus,” and began photographing protesters — a provocative act seen as intimidation.
According to sources, after a brief attempt at retreating to the local police station to report alleged conspiracy against him, he returned with more men and allegedly opened fire on the crowd. This reportedly led to the death of at least one protester (identified in some reports as Ganiyu Adebayo, alias “Oludegun”).

The shooting and killing of a protester escalated anger and unleashed violent backlash.

His Death — How It Happened

Once the crowd turned violent, the story ended gruesomely:

Alhaji Gay attempted to escape, aided by his armed thugs. But his men reportedly abandoned him under pressure.
Angry youths, armed with cutlasses and driven by rage over years of oppression and possibly the shooting of their comrade, chased him down on Moshalashi Road, Alagbado. They confronted him, chanting threats, and violently killed him — reportedly by hacking. The killing occurred around 11:45 a.m. on that fateful Monday.
He was transported to nearby private hospitals, but was rejected; later he was moved to a public hospital and was pronounced dead.

Importantly, the killing was in broad daylight and in full view of many — marking the violent climax of his controversial reign over parts of Alagbado.

Aftermath and Legal Proceedings

In the immediate aftermath, law enforcement and soldiers were deployed to the area. His two hotels and many buildings were guarded to prevent reprisals or further violence.
The traditional ruler of the community — Chief Nojeem Abioye (the Baale of Temidire), his son, and about nine others were arrested and initially detained over alleged involvement in the killing.
They were subsequently arraigned in court (Ikeja High Court) on a two-count charge of conspiracy to commit felony and murder.
Despite the arrests, many residents and observers condemned what they saw as “selective justice”: while Alhaji Gay was killed and his alleged killers were being prosecuted, the deaths of protesters allegedly shot earlier — including Ganiyu Adebayo — were largely ignored, and no serious investigation of those killings seemed to have followed.
In the years after his death, some of his formerly-owned hotels/properties reportedly changed hands or were leased out to third parties.

Legacy: Why The Story of Alhaji Gay Resonates

The saga of Alhaji Gay encapsulates several harsh realities about urban Lagos — and by extension parts of Nigeria — in the early 21st century:

Parallel power structures — The fact that one individual, without official mandate, could behave as law-enforcement, terrorise residents, extort wealth, and effectively control land and property shows the weakness (or complicity) of official institutions in some settings.
Vigilantism and mob justice — His violent end at the hands of a mob that felt oppressed for years underlines the danger when communities take justice into their own hands, often without a fair trial.
Vulnerability of ordinary citizens — Landlords, tenants, young men accused of “cyber-crime”, vulnerable youth allegedly exploited or abused — all formed parts of the tragedy. His story highlights how the powerless often suffer the most.
Moral, legal and ethical quagmire — The mix of criminality, impersonation of authorities, sexual violence, land-grabbing, and then a violent public killing, leaves open many questions about justice, accountability, and the rule of law.

In many ways, Alhaji Gay’s life and death continue to serve as a cautionary tale about impunity, exploitation, and the precariousness of wealth acquired through fear and violence.

Conclusion

Tunji Rasaq Olaniyi — better known as Alhaji Gay — rose from relative obscurity to become a feared, wealthy, and controversial figure in Alagbado, Lagos, through alleged land-grabbing, extortion, impersonation, and gangster tactics. Accused of sexual offences and exploiting cyber-fraudsters, he wielded power through a mix of corruption, intimidation, and violent force.

But the same tools he used to oppress others eventually turned against him: a community fed up with his tyrannies came together, protested — and triggered a chain of events that ended with his brutal death on 20 July 2015. Lives were lost on both sides, and a spotlight was thrown on the fragile line between power, lawlessness, and mob justice.

His story remains a potent — if disturbing — illustration of the chaos that can arise when individuals exploit systemic gaps in governance, and when communities are pushed to take justice into their own hands.