Filmhouse Group has strengthened security across its cinema locations following a machete attack at its IMAX facility in Lekki, Lagos State, that left a security guard and the suspected attacker dead.
The incident occurred in the early hours of Saturday, August 29, 2026, at the car park of Filmhouse Cinemas IMAX in Lekki.
The Lagos State Police Command confirmed that a man armed with a machete and knife allegedly attacked security personnel after reportedly attempting to gain access to the cinema.
Police said the suspect allegedly stabbed one security guard to death and injured another security officer during the confrontation.
The suspect was subsequently overpowered by a mob and died in the process, bringing the confirmed death toll from the incident to two.
The Lagos State Police Command spokesperson, Adebisi Abimbola, said, “Two people have been confirmed dead.”
Abimbola said the circumstances surrounding the incident remained under investigation, with police working to establish the sequence of events that led to the attack and the subsequent death of the suspect.
Police also took the cinema’s Chief Security Officer into custody as part of the investigation.
The command is expected to obtain and review closed-circuit television footage from the premises to reconstruct the incident and determine whether other people were involved.
The identities of the deceased had not been publicly released as of Monday, August 31, 2026.
Filmhouse confirmed the incident in a statement issued on Saturday, saying it occurred outside the cinema building, specifically in the car park.
“Filmhouse Group is deeply saddened by a security incident that took place outside the premises, in the car park of one of our locations, in the early hours of this morning,” the company said.
Filmhouse added that the incident was “unrelated to our regular operations” and said it was cooperating with the authorities handling the investigation.
The company said it had introduced additional precautionary measures across its locations following the attack.
Filmhouse also commended the security personnel who confronted the suspect, describing their actions as instrumental in containing the situation and restoring safety.
“The security team stood between danger and the people in their care, and it is through their bravery that the situation was contained and safety restored,” the company said.
It added, “The safety and well-being of our staff and guests remain our highest priority.”
The company further stated that security across its locations had been “increased and prioritised” while it continued to monitor the situation.
The attack occurred while moviegoers were still at the facility, with sports journalist Buchi Laba among those who witnessed the aftermath.
Laba said he had attended a movie that began at about 10 p.m. on Friday, August 28, and ended around 2 a.m. on Saturday.
He said he encountered a large crowd and blood outside the cinema after the screening.
“I came out, there was a huge crowd outside with blood everywhere,” Laba wrote in a post on X.
He also said he had to remain in his vehicle for hours after the incident, describing it as one of the worst experiences of his life.
Another female moviegoer later alleged in a video circulated online that patrons were trapped inside the facility for about an hour as armed men blocked an exit.
She claimed that some moviegoers hid inside bathrooms during the incident.
The eyewitness account has not been independently established by the police, while the exact sequence of events inside and around the cinema remains part of the ongoing investigation.
Police have also not publicly established the motive for the attack.
Reports that the suspect appeared to be under the influence of drugs remain unconfirmed by a formal police finding and should not be treated as an established fact.
The police investigation is expected to clarify what triggered the confrontation, how the suspect gained access to the area and the circumstances surrounding his death after the attack on the security personnel.
The detention of the Chief Security Officer is also part of the ongoing investigation and does not by itself establish wrongdoing against the officer.
As of Monday, August 31, 2026, police had confirmed one security guard dead, another injured and the suspected attacker dead.
Filmhouse has meanwhile moved to reassure customers that additional security measures are being implemented across its facilities.
The company said it would continue working with the relevant authorities as investigations into the Lekki incident continue.
