When on Wednesday 29-year-old Saheed Badmus went to a viewing centre on Lamina Street, Egbe, Lagos State, to watch the UEFA Champions League semi-final match between Chelsea Football Club and Atletico Madrid, little did he know that was the last match he would ever watch.
PUNCH Metro learnt that the graduate of Ekiti State Polytechnic was stabbed to death by a barber identified only as Yemi, during an argument that broke out at the viewing centre.
Our correspondent, who visited the scene on Thursday, observed a large crowd on the street talking about the incident.
Saheed’s friends took our correspondent to a portion of the street where spinkles of Saheed’s blood could be seen.
They told PUNCH Metro that passions were high at the viewing centre as most of the Chelsea fans were desperate to see their team qualify.
It was learnt that during the match, Saheed stood up and Yemi shouted at him and told him to sit down as he was blocking him from viewing the match on the screen.
An elderly man was said to have cautioned Yemi against shouting, but Yemi insulted the elderly man.
A friend to the deceased, Muyideen Waheed, told our correspondent that an argument then ensued between the barber and Saheed.
He said, “Yemi was shouting and one elderly man told him to keep quiet, but he shouted the man down. Saheed then cautioned against shouting at an elderly man. Yemi attacked him.
“The owner of the centre pushed both Yemi and Saheed out of the place and locked them out.”
It was learnt that once they got outside, Yemi picked up a bottle from a nearby pub and stabbed Saheed.
It was learnt that as Saheed ran for his life, Yemi chased him and then stabbed him in the face.
Waheed told PUNCH Metro that when some of the viewers came out, they saw the deceased’s lying in a pool of blood.
He said they rushed him to two hospitals, but he was rejected.
He said, “There was power failure and everywhere was dark. Most of us were inside the viewing centre, so we did not hear Saheed scream. When we came out, we saw him lying in a pool of blood. We rushed him to Obeeh Hospital, but he was rejected. We then took him to Bisalam Hospital, but he was referred to Igando General Hospital.
“On getting to Igando, he was pronounced dead.”
Residents described Yemi as a violent man who had on several occasions attacked youths in the area.
While lifting up his shirt, Waheed said, “You see this scar on my chest. It was a stab wound inflicted on me by Yemi.”
Our correspondent, who visited Saheed’s mother’s house, learnt that he was her youngest son.
The mother, Isiwatu, while weeping profusely, said she was pained that she did not live to reap the fruit of her labour.
“My son was a gentle man. We lived together and he was responsible. I still saw him on Wednesday before he went to watch the match. I struggled to send him to school and now, all is wasted. He had no wife and child.
“Yemi has stolen my joy and I want him arrested and sentenced to death for his crime. This was not a case of two people fighting. It was an outright murder.”
It was learnt that after killing the deceased, Yemi fled to his father’s home, but his father alerted the police and he was arrested by policemen from the Ikotun Police Division.
When our correspondent visited the police station, Yemi was seen writing his statement.
Yemi’s father, who refused to identify himself, described his son as a troublemaker and wondered where he got the behaviour from.
He said, “I hardly see my son. Sometimes, I don’t see him for as long as three months. He just came to my house last night (Wednesday), crying. He told me that he had stabbed someone at a viewing centre.
“I reported him to the police. I don’t know why he went to watch the match in the first place. What kind of trouble is all this?
“When I saw the picture of the boy he stabbed, I shed tears because it is every parent’s worst nightmare.”
One killed while celebrating goal
Meanwhile, our correspondent learnt that another person, identified as Destiny Ameh, lost his life at another viewing centre in the Badagry area of the state.
A police source told our correspondent that the victim was struck in the head with a sharp object while celebrating a goal.
The source said, “Around 8.30pm, one Destiny Ameh was allegedly hit with an object by an unidentified person while watching a match between Chelsea FC and Atletico Madrid at a viewing centre along Sofoluwe Street, Magbon, Badagry Expressway, Magbon, Badagry.
“He was rushed to Victoria Private Hospital where he was confirmed dead. The owner of the viewing centre has been arrested.”
The state Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Ngozi Braide, was learnt that after killing the deceased, Yemi fled to his father’s home, but his father alerted the police and he was arrested by policemen from the Ikotun Police Division.
When our correspondent visited the police station, Yemi was seen writing his statement.
Yemi’s father, who refused to identify himself, described his son as a troublemaker and wondered where he got the behaviour from.
Police Public Relations Officer, Ngozi Braide, could not be reached for comment.
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