A mob has killed a 43-year-old taxi driver, Tunde Adetola,
for allegedly beating up an epileptic patient, Friday Williams, in the Onipanu
area of Lagos State.
The incident happened on Awe Crescent. Punch Metro learnt
that the taxi driver had visited a drinking joint on Sunday and there was a
disagreement between him and the daughter of the owner of the joint.Williams
was said to have intervened, which started a fight between him and the
deceased.
The epileptic patient was reportedly injured during the
brawl.Our correspondent learnt that some of Williams’ friends and street
urchins decided to avenge the beating.They reportedly swooped on Adetola,
bashing him to death.
Our correspondent learnt that policemen from the Onipanu
division took Adetola’s corpse to a morgue and arrested Williams and one of his
friends, Lucky Nnaeto.Speaking with our correspondent, Williams, who hails from
Imo State, denied instigating the mob attack, adding that he had settled the
disagreement with the deceased before he was killed.
He said: “It happened on
Sunday at a popular joint, where we usually have fun. Taxi drivers also come
there to enjoy themselves.I arrived there around 8am. The taxi driver also
arrived and saw a food hawker. He asked the girl to serve him food and she
did.The daughter of the owner of the shop was lying on a table, and Adetola
ordered her to stand up so he could sit and eat, but she ignored him.The man
felt insulted and subsequently abused the girl, who also replied him. So, I
decided to intervene and asked him to get another table. He began to insult me.
He slapped me and boxed me in the mouth. We fought, but he overpowered me.”
Williams said he left the spot and as he approached his
house, he met Nneato, a friend in the area.
Nnaeto, a motorcycle rider, told our correspondent that he
initially thought Williams sustained the injuries during the course of an
epileptic seizure.
He said: “I saw blood in his
mouth and body and asked him if he had had his seizure again, but he said he
was beaten up by a taxi driver.I was angry and when I saw the driver, I
confronted him for attacking a sick man. I told him to apologise and pay for
his treatment or else I would deflate the tyres of his cab.The driver called
him and they discussed. He gave Williams N500 to treat himself and they
settled.“I left them and mounted my motorcycle and left the area.”
Our correspondent learnt that some other friends saw
Williams injuries and after he narrated what had happened to him, they decided
to revenge the attack.
The mob, consisting of tricycle riders and street urchins,
reportedly descended on the victim and pummelled him to death.They were said to
have fled the scene before policemen got to the spot.
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