RIOT: Hausa trader allegedly kills Yoruba driver over N30 in Lagos

Unrest over N30

The Unrest started on Monday, January 31, on Mojeed Street, Igando Lagos, when a 40-year-old Hausa trader, Ibrahim Adamu, was alleged to have killed Lekan Adeleke, a bus driver.

Residents and family of the late Lekan apparently blocked the street, made bon fire and chased Hausa traders out of the zone.

ThePunch reported that the trouble started when the deceased bought noodles worth N230 from the suspect’s son on Sunday, January 29, around 10.30pm, paid N200 and promised to bring the balance of N30 the following day. This offer was rejected by the suspect’s son.

The son allegedly reported this to his father, Adamu, who became so irate and attacked the 30-year-old Adeleke with a spiked plank.

The victim was said to have slumped and hit his head against the concrete edge of a gutter in the area.

An acquaintance of the victim, Kehinde Akinduro, said Adamu had a kiosk where he sold confectioneries, while the son sold noodles beside the kiosk. He claimed that Adeleke had even paid the balance of N30 to the suspect’s son.

“He was joking with the boy that despite being a customer, he went and reported him to his father. They started abusing each other. At this time, the son was already preparing noodles for me on the instruction of Adeleke,” said Kehinde.

He stated further: “The next thing I saw was that Adamu, who was eavesdropping, brought out a spiked plank and hit Adeleke with it. I cautioned him, but he faced me and hit me in the leg. I sustained some injuries.

“When Adeleke saw that he could no longer handle the situation, he took to his heels. But the man followed him and hit him in the head as he tried to jump the gutter. He fell and hit his head against the edge of the gutter.

“When Adamu saw that he had become unconscious, he took him into his kiosk and poured water on his head. He was doing this when a large number of residents stormed the place. When he sighted them, he abandoned the man and took to his heels.”

He said the suspect, speaking in Hausa, asked his son to flee in another direction.

“The boy escaped, but we were able to get Adamu. We called the police and handed him over to them.”

The crowd was said to have demolished Adamu’s kiosk and set it on fire after Adeleke died around 12am on Monday.

The police public relations officer (PRO), SP Dolapo Badmos, briefed the reporters that investigations were ongoing.

The PRO said: “It was a case of murder. One Adamu used a plank to hit a bus driver, Adeleke, in the head which led to his death. The corpse was deposited in the Mainland General Hospital morgue for autopsy."