Pandemonium broke out last Wednesday on Lagos Island as two friends engaged each other in fisticuffs, resulting in the death of one of them.
The incident, which occurred at a dump site in the area, was as a result of a disagreement between the two friends over a resting space in the market.
Our correspondent learnt that the said space, which belonged to the deceased victim, Ahmed Ibrahim, was occupied by his alleged killer, simply identified as Ope, who decided to take a nap in the same space.
But Ibrahim, who was not comfortable with the use of his space by Ope, was said to have demanded that the suspect quit the position, a development that led to a fight between the two of them.
Neighbours and passers-by, however, intervened to settle the dispute between the two friends.
But shortly afterwards, our correspondent gathered, while Ibrahim left the sleeping space to ease himself, “a desperate Ope accosted him” and the two friends began yet another fight.
In the course of the fracas, Ope allegedly stabbed Ibrahim in different parts of his body-neck, stomach and arm.
Drenched in his own blood, the victim reportedly staggered and fell. He was immediately rushed by residents and passers-by to the Lagos Island General Island Hospital for medical attention, but he was rejected by the hospital.
He was then taken to the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, Ikeja, where he later gave up the ghost.
An eyewitness, Rafiu Balogun-Badmus, said after the suspect, who is a commercial motorcycle operator, stabbed the victim, a mob immediately seized him and wanted to lynch him. They later resolved to hand him over to the police.
But the suspect escaped before the arrival of the police.
“He stabbed his friend, who they rushed to the hospital. We later heard that the man died. When the incident happened, angry residents and area boys, who saw the attack, caught him (Ope) and wanted to set fire on him after giving him several beatings. But they said they should let the police come and take him away. But before the police could come, he escaped from where he was kept,” Balogun-Badmus said.
Speaking to our correspondent, the deceased’s wife, Tawa Ibrahim, said she was called by neighbours that her husband hds been stabbed to death.
Tawa said, “He was with me a few minutes before the incident. He told me he was hungry, but I was yet to finish cooking. So, he went out, but said he would come
back.
“Some minutes later, I heard people shouting and calling me that my husband had been killed. On getting there, I met my husband in a pool of blood, gasping for breath. He was stabbed in the neck, stomach, back, and hand.
“Immediately we rushed him to Lagos General Hospital, but he was rejected. Quickly, we moved down to LASUTH, where he was admitted. But he eventually died the following morning.”
The deceased’s distraught wife lamented that her husband had just secured a better job, noting that he left his previous place of employment because he was being owed salaries for several months.
“At his new company, where he was employed as a messenger, he’s yet to receive his first salary,” she said with tears rolling down her cheeks.
The deceased’s mother identified as Mama Ahmed, told our correspondent that the victim was her last surviving son.
The aged woman lamented, “I had four sons, three have died. This is the last one and now he has been killed for me.
“I had worked for LAWMA for months without salary. I just secured a new job with the Cleaner Lagos Initiative. Look at the kits that were given to me. My hope is dashed. They killed my last hope
“I am calling on the leaders of APC in Lagos to help me seek justice. I have been serving them since the days of AD; they should not let my son die without justice. I am calling on Ambode, who I suffered for during election, to help me get
justice.”
A community women leader, Mrs. Ola Williams, said, “Our community, which was totally peaceful through our efforts with police, has gradually been turning to a crime-prone area. And this is because some of the people in this community have been encouraging the hoodlums. They sponsor them, and when they are arrested, they move to police station to release them. That is why I will keep calling on the commissioner of police to focus on our area, especially as the election is coming so that peace can be restored”.
Meanwhile, police operatives from the Adeniji Adele division have launched a manhunt for the fleeing suspected killer.
