Carpenter Stabbed To Death While Separating Fighting Co-Tenants

Ajegunle

A carpenter, Kunle Abiola, has been stabbed to death in the Ajegunle area of Lagos while trying to separate his co-tenants, who were fighting.

PUNCH Metro learnt that Abiola was stabbed to death by one of the co-tenants, identified as Nweke Chinonso.

It was gathered that Abiola and Chinonso both lived on Mba Street in the area.

Chinonso, who had been arrested by policemen from the Ajegunle Police Division, allegedly stabbed Abiola with a kitchen knife in the jaw and in the chest.

Our correspondent learnt that on Sunday, April 19, the suspect had an argument with a woman in the apartment, whose name had yet to be known.

  

It was gathered that the argument, which degenerated into a fight, brought Abiola to the scene.

The deceased reportedly tried to separate the two fighters, during which Chinonso got a knife and stabbed him to death.

A resident of the area, identified simply as Ibrahim, who claimed to be an eyewitness, said some people rushed Abiola to a general hospital, adding that he did not survive the stabbing.

He said, “The two people who were fighting are also neighbours. It was just a minor argument which resulted into a physical fight. Abiola came by and tried to separate them. He particularly held Chinonso, pleading with him to take things calmly.

“Chinonso managed to get a kitchen knife. He stabbed Abiola and the man slumped.

“When the police were called to the scene, all of us rushed the man to the general hospital in Awodiora, Ajegunle, but the doctors on duty confirmed him dead.

“The police then took his corpse to the station. We all shed tears; Abiola was a good man.”

Our correspondent learnt that Chinonso told the police in his statement that it was the devil that pushed him to commit the act.

A police source at the division said Abiola was well known to the division as he had done some carpentry works for the police in the past.

“We knew the victim very well. He usually worked for us at the station. He was very friendly and we never heard that he quarrelled with anyone. It was just unfortunate that he fell prey to an aggressive man. The suspect will be made to face the music,” he said.

The Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Kenneth Nwosu, confirmed the incident. He added that Chinonso had been transferred to the State Department of Criminal Investigations where further investigations were ongoing on the matter.

He said, “The suspect stabbed Abiola in the chest and he was rushed to the hospital where he was confirmed dead. The matter has been transferred to the SCID.”