Ex-soldier allegedly stabs nephew to death over land tussle

The Police in Lagos have arrested a 73-year-old man, who allegedly stabbed his nephew to death over a land dispute in Ikorodu area of Lagos State.

However, the suspect, Emmanuel Gbolahan, an ex-military man, stated during interrogation that he never meant to kill his 50-year-old nephew, Adeniyi Oyebanjo, that he only wanted to demonstrate his skills as an ex- serviceman.


Vanguard gathered that there had been a lingering quarrel between the suspect and one of his brothers, Oyebanjo, over ownership of a portion of land at Lowa area of Ikorodu.

But the situation took a violent dimension last Friday, after the deceased reportedly challenged the suspect over the same issue, an action that was described as an affront by the septuagenarian.

A relative, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, told Vanguard that “During the confrontation, Baba soldier (as he is fondly called) boasted that the deceased cannot overpower him in a fight. He said he would use his tactics as an ‘old soldier’ to defeat him despite the age difference. As usual, we calmed both parties before I left. By then, it was 7 pm.

“ But we heard a shout for help around 11 pm and by the time people rushed there, we saw Adeniyi in the pool of his blood with a knife thrust in his stomach. At first, Baba soldier kept calling on Adeniyi to get up and continue the fight. We managed to rush Adeniyi to the hospital but unfortunately, he was confirmed dead. “

At the Igbogbo Police division where the matter was reported, the suspect admitted to having committed the offence but blamed it on anger.

He simply said when approached, that “ The boy has been insulting me for long. I only wanted to teach him a lesson.

“I attacked him first with my military skills before the knife thrust into his stomach. But I didn’t know it would result in his death.“