Ogun State: Man kills neighbor over N4,500 dispute

A man named Wasiu Oyekan in Ogun State has been accused of beating his neighbor, Ibrahim Lateef, to death in a dispute over N4,500.

Reports from DAILY POST indicate that the unfortunate incident occurred on a Sunday near Kobiti Central Mosque, Kobiti, Abeokuta, the capital of Ogun State. The accused, Wasiu Oyekan, hailing from the Ile-Elewe Family in Kobiti, had alleged that the deceased’s son, along with another boy, had damaged his PlayStation video game during a play session in August.

Subsequently, Oyekan requested N9,000 to repair the game, of which the boy’s 50-year-old father initially provided N4,500 with a commitment to settle the remaining balance later.

However, a delay in settling the N4,500 balance led Oyekan to take the deceased’s son to the police station on the fateful Sunday. When the father, Lateef, returned home and discovered that his son had been taken to the police station, he confronted Oyekan. During their exchange, Oyekan allegedly delivered a forceful blow to Lateef’s neck, causing him to fall and strike his head on the ground. Lateef sustained severe injuries, bleeding from his nose and ears, and ultimately lost his life.

An eyewitness, who opted to remain anonymous, reported that Oyekan is presently in custody at the State Criminal Investigation Department at the Police Headquarters in Eleweran, Abeokuta.

Lateef, also known as Tijuuku, is survived by his mother, a wife caring for a two-month-old baby girl, his other children, and younger siblings. His mother fainted upon receiving the news of her son’s tragic demise.

When contacted, the Ogun State Police Command verified the incident. The Ogun State Police Public Relations Officer, Omolola Odutola, directed inquiries to the Divisional Police Officer of Oke-Itoku, CSP Hadiza Abu Oganyi, as the incident fell under her jurisdiction.

The DPO confirmed the incident and stated that she had transferred the case to the force headquarters on the same day it occurred. According to her, the altercation began when the deceased confronted Oyekan for reporting his child to the police station, initiating the chain of events. The DPO mentioned that she would relay further details to the PPRO, as she is not authorized to speak to the media.