A 39-year-old taxi driver was reportedly beaten to death over a space to sit, as he was about to eat his breakfast after taking a sachet of dry gin, at Onipanu Bus Stop, Ikorodu Road, Lagos State.
Friday-Williams-(left)-and- Lucky Aneto.
Vanguard learned that at about 9am the victim, identified as Tunde Odutola, was attacked after he parked his car, bought food from a vendor and asked Esther, the daughter of drinking joint owner, who had earlier sold him dry gin, to get up and allow him sit for his breakfast.
Trouble started when Odutola felt slighted after Esther allegedly refused to leave her seat. He allegedly rained abuses on her till other customers intervened.
Odutola allegedly attacked one of the peacemakers, Taju Adeboye, who used crutches. This led to a scuffle, which degenerated into a mob attack. The victim was lynched.
Vanguard gathered that two suspects, identified as Friday Williams and Lucky Aneto, have been arrested in connection with the death.
Suspects’ account
According to 41-year-old, Friday Williams, a barber from Uromi in Edo State: “I went to the bus stop at about 8am, Sunday, to buy a sachet of dry gin from a local vendor. I was there when Tunde, the taxi driver, came.
“He also bought gin. Later he ordered for a plate of Eba from a food vendor. Immediately he was served, he asked Esther, daughter of the woman who sells drinks at the bus stop, to vacate her seat so he can sit and eat, but she refused.
“Tunde started abusing her till she began to cry. People cautioned him, but he attacked a man on crutches and then I intervened. He slapped and rained blows on me.
“I left the joint and was going home when I met my brother, Lucky Aneto. I was explaining what happened, when Tunde Odutola came after me.
“After Aneto’s intervention, Odutola gave me N500 to treat myself and I left.”
Lucky Aneto, a 33-year-old father of one, told Vanguard: “I am a commercial bike operator. I was working when I saw Friday with injuries all over his body. I asked him if he had suffered his usual epileptic seizure. He said no, that he was beaten by a taxi driver.
“He was still explaining the incident when the taxi driver attempted to attack him again. I threatened to deflate his car’s tyres if he refused to take Friday to the hospital.
“I left both of them, while they were negotiating as I had to take a passenger to his destination. By the time I returned, the corpse of the taxi driver was lying on the roadside.
“I am innocent. One Tope is among the people that attacked the man, but he is currently on the run.”
Lagos State Police Public Relations officer, DSP Kenneth Nwosu, said the case which was initially reported at Onipanu Divisional Police Station, was being investigated at the State Criminal Investigation Department, Panti.
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