Metro

Soldier Stabs Trader To Death Over N100

Published

3 years ago

February 10, 2023

A yet-to-be-identified soldier has allegedly stabbed a ticket agent, Ibrahim Ikudaisi, aka Guardian, to death over N100 ticket in the Oshodi area of Lagos State.

It was gathered that Ikudaisi was visiting stores to demand N100 levy from different traders in a market in Oshodi when one of the traders refused to pay him.

The trader’s refusal to oblige to Ikudaisi’s request reportedly led to an argument and in the process, the soldier intervened to prevent the ticket agent from collecting the money from the trader.

It was learnt that the argument degenerated and in the process, the soldier brought out a knife and allegedly stabbed Ikudaisi in the chest.

An eyewitness, Adenike Ajayi, who spoke to our correspondent during a visit to the scene of the attack, said the impact of the attack made Ikudaisi fall to the ground, adding that the soldier took to his heels upon realising that the ticket agent had lost consciousness.

Ajayi said, “Ikudaisi is a popular person in this part of Oshodi. Everybody knows him and his nickname is ‘Guardian’. He is the one that collects daily ticket levies from all of us that are traders here.

“He was here yesterday (Tuesday) around 11am and we had all collected our daily tickets from him when he got into an argument with a lady who refused to pay for the ticket.

“As they were arguing, a soldier came and tried to force Ikudaisi to not let the lady pay for the daily N100 ticket. Suddenly, it got to a point that the soldier brought out his knife and stabbed Ikudaisi in the chest.”

Ajayi said the soldier fled to the Cantonment at Charity, where other soldiers came to his rescue, adding that Ikudaisi died due to the injuries he sustained during the attack.

“He was buried at his family compound in Lagos Island this morning. Army officers were around this place in the morning and they told us that they have arrested the soldier but we did not believe them because nobody was there to witness the arrest,” the trader said.

Another trader, Adeniji Olawole, told our correspondent that efforts by people in the market to apprehend the soldier proved abortive, adding that security agents were fond of perpetrating such injustice against the people in the market.

He said, “Though I was not around when the argument between Ikudaisi and the soldier started, I saw him after he was stabbed and lying in a pool of blood. Many people came out to help him while some others pursued the soldier when he ran away.

“Unfortunately, he was not caught because he ran into the cantonment and soldiers prevented those who ran after him from getting to him. In this Oshodi, police and army just beat and kill people for small matters that anger them. They should understand that we are also Nigerians like them. The death of Ikudaisi is a needless one. The soldier just wasted a precious life.”

An officer of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority, who preferred to remain anonymous for security reasons, told our correspondent that when Ikudaisi was stabbed, some of his friends rushed him to the hospital as he gasped for breath.

Contacted, the state Police Public Relations Officer, SP Benjamin Hundeyin, said, “I am not aware of this situation; I will contact you as soon as any information concerning this matter is available to me.”

Reacting to the development, the Deputy Director of Army Public Relations, 81 Division, Nigerian Army, Olabisi Ayeni, said the army was not aware of the matter, adding that an investigation to unravel the circumstances surrounding the incident had commenced.

He said, “I am not aware of the incident. It was an attack by hoodlums on the soldier. Efforts are ongoing to further unravel the circumstances surrounding the incident.

“However, hope you are aware that troops of the 9 Brigade Nigerian Army recently raided the Oshodi area where over 116 suspected hoodlums were arrested. Items recovered include locally-made pistols, local charms, Indian hemp and tramadol, amongst others.”

However, cases of civilians including policemen losing their lives to attacks by soldiers have become common in the state.

Sometime in August 2022, an Inspector serving with the Lagos State Police Command, Orukpe Monday, was reportedly tortured to death by soldiers in the Trade Fair area of the state.

Also, at Ogombo, in the Eti-Osa Local Government Area of the state, a civilian was killed when a man, Richard Ekpo, engaged the services of soldiers to stop the burial of his late father sometime in November 2022.

Reacting, a lawyer, Todimu Ige, said it was the duty of soldiers to safeguard the territory of the country, adding that the reverse was the case in Nigeria.

He said, “The right to life is enshrined in the Nigerian constitution and it is only the court that has the right to terminate the life of an individual. A person (Ikudaisi) has been murdered and the police should investigate it and bring the culprit to face the law.

“The duty of the military is to safeguard the territorial integrity of the nation and there should not be any reason for a civilian to have anything to do with a soldier. But what we are seeing is the opposite in Nigeria.”
PUNCH

Metro

Man Arrested In Edo For Alleged Abduction Of 4-year-old

Published

3 hours ago

January 8, 2026

Editor

21-year-old ThankGod Destiny has been arrested by the Edo State Security Corps, ESSC, for allegedly kidnapping a four-year-old boy in the state.

Deputy Corps Commander, Operations, of the ESSC, Richard Balogun, who disclosed this to newsmen in Benin on Thursday, said the suspect has been handed over to the police for further investigation and prosecution.

Balogun, while disclosing that the incident happened on January 4, 2026 at Ikpoba Hill, Benin, said the arrest of the suspect followed an alarm raised by a commercial bus driver and a female passenger.

The ESSC commander said, “On January 4, 2026, a woman went out with her son at lkpoba Hill in Benin city. A few minutes later, the son disappeared from her sight.
This suspect identified as ThankGod Destiny had allegedly kidnapped the four-year-old boy.

“The little boy was hurriedly taken into a commercial bus going towards kings Square in Benin city.

“The driver of the bus who noticed a great difference in resemblance between the little boy and the man, however questioned where he was heading with the little boy.

“He lied that the boy is ill and he is taking him to the hospital. But later on, a female passenger asked him about his destination with the boy. He replied that he was going to buy the boy shoe.

“The various replies made the driver and the woman raise the alarm. The alarm attracted men of the Edo State Security Corps who were on patrol. The suspect was immediately arrested and the kidnapped little boy rescued unhurt.”

Balogun, who said the victim has been reunited with his family, assured that the Corps will continue to hunt for criminals in the state.

Metro

Imo Police Arrest Man Accused Of Defilement In Viral Video

Published

3 hours ago

January 8, 2026

Editor

Imo State Police Command has arrested one 24-year-old man, Wisdom Onyeaju, from Umuekweye, Irete, Owerri-West Local Government Area, in connection with an alleged case of defilement.

The command’s Public Relations Officer, DSP Okoye Henry, made this known in a statement on Thursday.

DSP Henry said the arrest followed credible information received by the Command from the family of the victim, who had earlier drawn public attention to the incident through a viral video circulating on social media.

According to Henry, the suspect is currently in custody and undergoing thorough investigation at the State Criminal Investigation Department, SCID.

The police mouthpiece further said that the suspect would be arraigned in court with the appropriate charges upon the conclusion of investigation.

DSP Henry also disclosed that the Command has also identified and detained the police officers alleged to have been involved in professional misconduct in the course of handling the case.

“An orderly room trial has been scheduled to commence on Monday, 12th January, 2026, to address the misconduct in line with extant police regulations.

“We remain committed to professionalism, transparency, and accountability. Justice will be served in this matter,” the Command assured.

Metro

Edo widow-lawyer Diabolically Blinded Over Contract Seeks Okpebholo’s Intervention

Published

22 hours ago

January 7, 2026

Editor

…says efforts to meet gov blocked

A blind-widow and mother of four, Barr. Benny Francis, has appealed to Governor Monday Okpebholo of Edo State to intervene over what she described as injustice meted on her and her children.

She lamented that after her husband, who was the breadwinner of the family, was knocked down by a bus chased by the then Kelly Okungbowa aka Ebo-Stone-led Edo State Task Force, all her efforts to meet with the governor had proved abortive.

“When the governor heard about the incident, we were told he asked “where is the family of the man?” The governor is actually interested in the case but we are being blocked from gaining access. I have met with the Coordinator of the First Lady, and she was trying to arrange for our meeting with the governor, but in one of my visits to the Office to the Office of the First Lady, I met Ebo-Stone in the office, so I waited at the reception. To my own surprise, the Coordinator didn’t meet with me that day despite the fact that she was the one that asked me to come. Till this moment, no attempt from that end. This is what happens to any highly placed political office holders I met regarding my ordeal. They may attend to me and listen to me initially, but once I meet them with Ebo-Stone, their doors become completely shut against me. I don’t know what they are hiding,” she narrated.

Narrating how her tragic and pathetic story started on Wednesday, she said, until the tragic incident that happened to her that led to her losing her sight, “she was a contractor with the Edo State Oil and Gas Producing Areas Development Commission (EDSOGPADEC) and was awarded a contract to construct a 10-unit staff quarters in Ughoton Community, Edo State.”

She added that “during the execution of this project, I was diabolically attacked and rendered blind,” stressing that “following this unfortunate incident, EDSOGPADEC assured me that they would compensate me for all my losses, settle my medical bills, and support my recovery. Unfortunately, these promises were never fulfilled.

“The former Secretary to the State Government (Barr. Osarodion Ogie) directed them to provide me with a Prado Jeep and a hilux to assist with my mobility, but after the car was delivered, the former Oil and Gas Chairman ordered its retrieval within 24 hours under the pretext of repairs. Till date, the vehicle has not been returned.

“In pursuit of justice, I took the matter to court, where I initially demanded N1 billion in damages. The government pleaded for a settlement of N300 million, but after court deliberations, it was agreed that I would receive N500 million in compensation. Despite this legal resolution, only N50 million was offered, which I was advised to reject due to the lack of a conclusive agreement. Since then, the government has failed to fulfill their promises, including offering me new contracts as earlier pledged.

“As a result of this ordeal, I lost all my properties, including my home, cars, and valuables to the bank, as I had taken loans to finance the EDSOGPADEC project. My financial situation has deteriorated drastically, leaving me struggling to survive.”

She lamented that “as if my suffering was not enough, tragedy struck again on December 11, 2024. My husband, who had been my only pillar of support, was tragically killed in an accident caused by the Edo State Task Force under the current administration.

“He was struck by a bus driver being pursued by the Task Force, led by a man known as “Able Stone”, and the vehicle crushed his head. He was rushed to the Edo Specialist Hospital and later referred to UBTH, where he sadly passed away by 5:00 PM that same day.

“I lost my husband when I was five months pregnant and left to care for four young children, now as a widow, with no means of support. I have made several attempts to meet with His Excellency, Sen. Monday Okpebholo, to personally narrate my plight, but all efforts have been unsuccessful.”

The widow, who debunked Ebo-Stone’s claim that he has compensated her and the children, appealed to the governor to “as a father and a man of compassion, to intervene in my case. I seek the support of the Edo State Government.”

Contacted, Ebo-Stone picked the phone call but hurriedly said “I am in a party,” and ended the call immediately he heard journalist. The SMS sent to his telephone as a follow-up was not responded to as at when filing the report.