Nigerian singer Niniola has opened up about the painful memory of watching her father, Brigadier General Simeon Apata (rtd), being assassinated in their Lagos home nearly three decades ago.

General Apata, a retired military officer, was gunned down in front of his family on January 8, 1995. Speaking in a recent interview with “Jay On Air”, Niniola described the incident as a life-altering trauma that has stayed with her ever since.

“I was in the house when my dad was murdered. And I was his favourite child so you can imagine \[the trauma]. Till today, I’m not over it. I can never get over it,” she recalled.

The singer explained that she was very young at the time and struggles to remember her exact age, but the horrific memory remains unforgettable.

Her younger sister, Teni, who is also a popular musician, had earlier revealed in 2023 that witnessing their father’s death at just two years old left her deeply scarred.

For both sisters, the tragedy has been a defining and painful chapter of their lives, shaping their personal journeys even as they found fame in music.