Man Stabs Friend During Dispute Over Money

A man, Tobi Adeleke, has met his untimely death in the hands of his friend, Michael Matthew, while trying to intervene in a dispute over money. 

Punch Metro gathered that the duo in company with some other friends had gathered on Adewunmi Adebiyi Street, Lagos, around 11pm on Saturday and tried to share some money given to them.

A fight reportedly broke out among the friends concerning how the money was to be shared.

In the process of trying to make peace, Mathew allegedly used a broken bottle to stab Adeleke in the neck.

It was gathered that Adeleke was immediately rushed to a nearby hospital after which he was referred to the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, Ikeja, for treatment.

Adeleke was later confirmed dead by a doctor on duty. Matthew was subsequently arrested by the police.

A friend of the deceased, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the deceased was an easy-going person who was a victim of a good deed.

He said, “I got back from work around 10pm and I was outside my house when Matthew came and was acting weird.

He was trying to play with me, but I told him to leave me alone because I was tired.

“After some time, I saw that a fight had broken out involving some of my friends. Before I got there, Matthew had stabbed Adeleke.

“Immediately I got to the scene of the incident, I quickly joined others to rush Adeleke to a nearby hospital where first-aid treatment was administered on him before he was referred to the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, Ikeja. He died at the hospital.

“I learnt that Adeleke was not part of those that were fighting, he was just trying to settle the dispute that ensued among some of them while they were trying to share money. He did not know that Matthew was holding a weapon.”

He added that the community had warned Matthew several times over his aggressive attitude, adding that anybody could have been the victim and that it was just unfortunate that it had to be Adeleke.

Attempts to speak with the deceased family proved abortive as the widowed mother of the deceased was said to have gone to stay with her sister. The deceased’s sister was still inconsolable.

When contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer, Chike Oti, confirmed the incident, adding that investigation was ongoing.