News

Abuja engineer stabs friend to death at birthday party over greetings

Published

7 years ago

April 23, 2018

An Abuja-based computer engineer, Oladeji Hamzat, has been arrested by the Ogun state police for reportedly stabbing his friend identified simply as Bayo, to death following an altercation that reportedly ensued between them at a bar – Hummes – in Agbado, in the Ifo Local Government Area of the state.

The fight between the friends occurred after Hamzat who arrived the bar late for the birthday party of a friend identified as Owoseni, was confronted by Bayo for greeting friends he met at the bar one after another and not according him the regard he gave other friends.

Bayo who was stabbed in the neck during the fight, was rushed to three hospitals before he died at the Ifako-Ijaiye General Hospital, Lagos.

An eyewitness who was present when the incident occurred, told a Punch Correspondent;

“Bayo and other friends were at the bar when Hamzat arrived. He (Hamzat) greeted other friends. While the birthday celebration was on, Bayo challenged him that he shunned him when he arrived at the bar. That led to the disagreement and he stabbed Bayo with a broken bottle. Their relatives said they were childhood friends”.

A worker at the bar who was confirmed the incident, said Hamzat wanted to flee after stabbing Bayo, but he was apprehended.

“I was taking wine to the barman from the store when I heard the sound of a bottle being smashed. By the time I got to the bar hall, he (Hamzat) was running away as fast as he could. One of our security men and some people intercepted him at the gate and dragged him inside.

“They (Hamzat and Bayo) were at the same table with their friends. The deceased was even the one who bought the roasted meat they ate” he said.

The computer engineer who confessed to stabbing his friend during their fight, told newsmen,

“I am a computer engineer and work in Abuja. I arrived here (Ogun State) on Thursday to visit my parents who live in Adiyan, in the Ifo LGA, and I lodged in a hotel at Agbado. On Friday, I attended Owoseni’s birthday. He (Bayo) came to where I was sitting and asked me where I had been all the while. I could not remember where I knew him.

“He came to meet me again and his friends cautioned him and said that was how he misbehaved whenever he was drunk. It was like he was looking for trouble. He confronted me again, smashed a bottle and attempted to stab me. I used my hand to block him and I started bleeding in the hand. I rushed outside with the blood. People started to beat me up. That is all I know. I do not know how he was stabbed in the neck.”

Ogun State Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Abimbola Oyeyemi who confirmed the arrest of he murder suspect, disclosed that the case had been transferred to the Homicide Section of the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department for further investigation and prosecution.