This is sad. A
chicken roost built by a Lagos resident, Segun Irein, has put his family into
trouble.
Segun and his
wife, Sola, allegedly beat their neighbour, Idowu Solaja, to death over the
roost at their house on Babs Lawal Street in the Ikorodu area of Lagos.
The Punch
learnt that Idowu, a chartered accountant, whose house backed the roost, had
complained to the couple that he was being disturbed by the chickens.
However, the
Ireins allegedly attacked him.
The victim was
said to have been taken to a hospital by residents. Sadly, he died shortly
after. His corpse was deposited in a morgue while the couple were arrested by
the police.
It was learnt
that the 51-year-old was responsible for the welfare of his wife and four
children.
When Punch
visited the community on Thursday, a crowd of residents and landlords were
spotted discussing the unfortunate incident.
An in-law to
the deceased, Jimoh Ayandokun, said Segun was first rearing pigs, adding that
after a series of complaints by the victim, he stopped the business.
He said,
“Idowu had complained several times about the smell of the pigs. It took nine
months and the intervention of the landlord association before he stopped
rearing the pigs.
“After that
matter was resolved, there was peace in the community and in December 2016,
when the suspect’s wife had a party, the deceased attended.”
The deceased
elder sister, who did not want to be identified, said Idowu had taken one of
his children to school on Monday when he saw some chickens being fed in the
roost at Segun’s house.
She said, “He
went to the house and knocked at the door repeatedly, but nobody answered him.
He banged harder and the man’s wife, Sola, came out and asked him what he
wanted from them again.
“Idowu
insisted on speaking to her husband. The man came out and they started
exchanging words.
“Because the
doorstep was elevated above the ground where Idowu stood, it was easier for
Segun to grab Idowu by the neck.
“In the
ensuing scuffle, they both fell down. The wife picked a stone and hit Idowu in
different parts of the body.”
A passerby,
who saw the incident, raised alarm as residents rushed to the scene to separate
them. The victim, who was drenched in blood, drove himself to the Igbogbo
Police Division where he reported the attack. He was reportedly issued a letter
to go to a hospital for treatment.
Segun
attempted to flee the community, but was held back by residents
“But he later
disappeared through the back door. His wife, however, assured us that he also
went to report at the Igbogbo division,” a landlord, who did not identify
himself, said.
Idowu was
treated and given some drugs for the injuries he sustained in the eyes.
He was
reportedly called by residents, who appealed to him to drop the case against
the couple. He allegedly left the hospital for the police station, where he
wrote a statement to withdraw the case.
However,
shortly after he got home, he allegedly slumped and died.
“He was
screaming, ‘I hope I am not about to die’. This was around 8pm. He then
collapsed. We put him in his Toyota Corolla and drove him to a private clinic
in the community, where the doctor confirmed him dead.
“We took the
corpse to the police station and the couple were arrested. We suspect that he
was stabbed with a poisoned sharp object during the fight,” another resident
said.
His wife,
Modupe Solaja, who said they had been married for over 20 years, called for
justice.
Modupe said
she had yet to inform their first child who was an undergraduate at the Adeleke
University in Osun State.
“My husband
was planning to pay her school fees of about N1.2m this weekend. I am a full
time housewife. How will I cope with the school fees of four children? Don’t
let me suffer for nothing,” the wife cried out.
The state
Police Public Relations Officer, SP Dolapo Badmos, confirmed the incident, adding
that the case had been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation and
Intelligence Department.
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