One Mohammed Bello of Bode Thomas Street, Surulere, Lagos State has been arrested for the alleged murder of a 32-year-old scrap collector, Ismaila Abdullahi. He was apprehended along with one Tunde, who had fought with Abdullahi. Bello had allegedly used a plank to hit Abdullahi on the head, which made him to slump and die afterwards.
Punch Metro learnt that the victim, whose address had yet to be known, was scavenging at a rubbish dump around Ogudu Grammar School when an altercation broke out between him and Tunde, who reportedly challenged his movement in the area.
It was gathered that the disagreement led to fisticuffs during which one Olanrewaju called Bello to join him in separating the fighters.
But the scrap collector reportedly felt that he had been humiliated by Tunde while Bello was separating them.
He was said to have abused the peacemaker, who became angry in the process and attacked him with a plank.
A mechanic in the area, who gave his name as Kehinde Bamidele, said that Abdullahi collapsed and was rushed to the Gbagada General Hospital where he died.
He said, “I don’t really know what led to the fight between Tunde and Ismaila (Abdullahi).
But a friend said Tunde wanted to stop him from picking scraps.
After Mohammed (Bello) had separated them, Ismaila started abusing him, saying Mohammed gave Tunde an advantage to punch him while separating them.
“Mohammed told Ismaila that he was rude to him and vowed to deal with him if he persisted.
But he continued to abuse Mohammed, who became angry.
He hit Ismaila with a plank on the head. He fell and later died at a hospital.”
Another eyewitness said the case was reported to policemen at the Area H Command, Ogudu, who arrested Bello and Tunde.
“Ismail is from the North. I only see him around; I don’t know his family,” he added.
In another development, a sales boy at a shop on Ojekunle Street, Papa Ajao, Mushin, has been beaten to death by a three-man gang.
It was learnt that the sales boy was sent on an errand to a neighbouring street, when the gang confronted him.
The assailants were said to have beaten him up and stabbed him in the armpit and fled the scene.
“He had lost a lot of blood before he was taken to a hospital.
He eventually died and his body was deposited at the Mainland General Hospital, Yaba for autopsy,” a police source said.
The source said one Adeshile, who was allegedly involved in the attack had been arrested, adding that the police were on the trail of two fleeing suspects.
The acting Police Public Relations Officer in Lagos, ASP Olarinde Famous-Cole, confirmed the Ogudu incident and promised to get back with comments on the sales boy’s murder.
He said, “The case has been transferred from the Area H to the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department for further investigation.”
