Toheeb Ishola: How painter was stabbed to death in friend’s house in Lagos

A painter, Toheeb Ishola was allegedly stabbed to death in his friend’s house in the Ikotun area of Lagos State.

It was gathered that the incident occurred on Friday, July 23, 2021 when Toheeb visited his friend, Dele, and decided to sleep over at his residence on Olatunji Street, Okerube, Ikotun.

Dele was said to have woken up early to travel the following day for a wedding in Ilorin, Kwara State, and left Toheeb with his younger brother, Raphael.

The victim was still asleep when Raphael allegedly pounced on him and stabbed him multiple times.

According to PUNCH, a source said Toheeb was still writhing in pain when he called his mother, Kemi, on the telephone to inform her about the attack.

The source said, “She quickly reached out to someone in the area to check on him at the house and when the person got there, he met him in a pool of blood. He was stabbed in the head, neck, stomach, and other parts of his body. His intestines were also pulled out of his stomach.

“The person he accused, Raphael, was also there. Toheeb, who was naked and lay half dead on the bed, managed to explain that he was sleeping when Raphael hit his head with a heavy object. But Raphael denied the allegation.

“Toheeb said Raphael used a sharp object to stab him; the bed was soaked in blood. He said the incident happened very early after Dele left the house for a wedding in Ilorin and that he fell back asleep.

“He said while calling for help, he was stabbed in the head, chest, cheek, throat, leg and stomach. It was even the bed that they used in carrying him into a tricycle that conveyed him to Better Life Hospital.

“When they got there, a doctor and some nurses received him and commenced treatment immediately. They stitched some parts of the body and after they managed to stabilise him, the doctor informed his relatives that he needed a surgery.”

The source added that things took another dimension when Toheeb did not regain consciousness after the operation.

“During the treatment, he received seven pints of blood. While the surgery went on, his relatives reported to the Area Command, Idimu, and Raphael was arrested.

“After the surgery, Toheeb did not respond well and the doctors told us that he ought to have come round one hour after the operation; but he did not regain full consciousness four hours afterwards. He was motionless and didn’t open his eyes. But when they called his name, he responded.

“Hours after the surgery, he started behaving strangely and foamy substances were coming out of his mouth. The doctors tried to revive him, but he died around 8pm on Friday. His remains were deposited in a mortuary in Yaba.”

Toheeb’s mother, Kemi, urged the police to unravel the circumstances surrounding the death of her first child.

She said, “Dele and Toheeb were childhood friends; their friendship was over 23 years, and at one point, we attended the same church until I changed church. I usually warned him against going to Dele’s house again, but he never listened.”

The state Police Public Relations Officer, CSP Muyiwa Adejobi, who confirmed the incident said, “The matter was transferred to the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department, Yaba, today (Monday). We will do the needful to get justice done.”