A man identified as Bashorun Okanla, 57, has met his untimely death after he was murdered by his neighbour, Ibrahim Tijani, 29, because he complained about fumes being emitted from his generator set in the Okun Ajah, Ogombo area of Lagos State.
The suspect said to be a bricklayer who hails from Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, and the deceased were neighbours who resided in an uncompleted building.
Tijani had reportedly turned on his generator around 11am on the Sunday, February 8, 2015 and the fumes made their way into the room of his slain neighbour.
Okanla, who was said to be a carpenter and married with kids, reportedly complained to Tijani but an argument ensued which further escalated to a fight.
It was during the process that Tijani reached for a cutlass from his room and cut the victim in the hand and leg.
The victim was rushed to a nearby hospital but unfortunately could not survive as he died later on.
According to Punch, a source who pleaded anonymity, said the police from the Ogombo division recovered the cutlass used in committing the crime.
He said, “It was on February 8, 2015 around 11am. The suspect and the deceased were neighbours. They both lived in an uncompleted building, which I learnt was owned by a Nigerian based in the USA.
“Tijani turned on his generator and the fumes escaped into the room of Okanla, who dashed out and asked him to take away the generator from the place, but he refused. That was how they began fighting and dragged themselves into the bush.
“The man then picked a sharp cutlass and cut the deceased in the hand and leg and ran away.”
After the incident, it was learnt that the suspect fled to Ogombo police station to avoid being lynched by angry residents but was arrested after some people who followed him to the station reported the incident to them.
During a police questioning, Tijani who admitted to committing the crime blamed it on a misunderstanding with the deceased.
He said, “On Sunday, I turned on my generator and when Baba Ade (Okanla) asked me to turn it off, I refused. Then he used a stick to hit me and we started fighting.
“A neighbour came and separated us and asked me to sit down beside him. But Baba Ade still went and destroyed my generator. I became angry and went inside my house and picked my cutlass. I used it on him.”
Confirming the incident, the state Police Public Relations Officer, Kenneth Nwosu, said, “Confirmed. Case transferred to the State Department of Criminal Investigation for further investigation.”
