By Our Correspondent
A debt dispute in Ondo East has turned fatal after a 25-year-old man, Fisayo Ajetumobi, was brutally stabbed to death by one Wale Ibrahim during a heated confrontation over just ₦14,000.
The tragic incident occurred on September 13, around 6:30 pm, at a construction site in Litaye Camp, Ondo East Local Government Area.
According to the Ondo State Police Command, Ibrahim, a resident of No. 50 Oreborede Street, Ondo, stormed the site to demand payment of ₦14,000 from another man, Gabriel Oyeniran, who allegedly owed him for wood supplied.
Police spokesperson, DSP Olushola Ayanlade, explained that the disagreement escalated into a violent altercation. In the heat of the moment, Ibrahim allegedly pulled out a knife and fatally stabbed Ajetumobi in the chest. The victim, who was said to have been attempting to intervene, died instantly from the deep wound.
“The suspect was promptly arrested by operatives and, after a thorough investigation, has been charged to court to face the full weight of the law,” Ayanlade said in a statement released Wednesday in Akure.
The Commissioner of Police, Adebowale Lawal, has strongly condemned the killing, describing it as a “senseless and barbaric act of violence over a meagre debt.” He reiterated the command’s zero tolerance for violent crimes, warning residents against taking the law into their own hands.
“The police will not fold their arms while criminal elements cut down innocent lives. We urge residents to embrace lawful means of dispute resolution and continue to support the police in crime prevention,” Lawal said.
The CP also assured residents of the command’s unwavering commitment to protecting lives and property across the state.
Meanwhile, the incident has sparked tension in the Litaye community, with locals expressing shock that a life could be wasted over such a “trivial” sum. Many have called for stiffer penalties for violent crimes to serve as deterrence.
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