Police arrest 3 butchers over stabbing of barber

The police in Ekiti State have arrested three butchers for allegedly stabbing a barber, Ajibola Falegan, at a viewing centre in Ado Ekiti, the capital city. Falegan, 33, who hails from Erinjiyan-Ekiti in Ekiti West local government area of the state, was allegedly attacked by the assailants at the viewing centre located along Nova Road, […]

The police in Ekiti State have arrested three butchers for allegedly stabbing a barber, Ajibola Falegan, at a viewing centre in Ado Ekiti, the capital city.

Falegan, 33, who hails from Erinjiyan-Ekiti in Ekiti West local government area of the state, was allegedly attacked by the assailants at the viewing centre located along Nova Road, Basiri, on Wednesday evening at about 10.30pm.

The victim, who is receiving treatment at a private medical centre in the state, had deep cuts in the head and body allegedly from cutlass and knife stabs the suspects inflicted on him.

Narrating his ordeal to journalists on the hospital bed yesterday, Falegan said the suspects were having an altercation with a brother at the viewing centre before he got there only for them to pounce on him when they sighted him.

He said he passed out when the attackers stabbed him repeatedly and only regained consciousness when he got to the hospital.

The barber added that the attackers allegedly stole his Techno L9+ phone worth N70,000 and a cash sum of N10,000 during the attack, which he maintained was unwarranted.

“We live in the same vicinity but I didn’t have any misunderstanding with any of them before the attack. I got home about 9:30pm on Wednesday to learn that my younger brother was still at the viewing centre and I had to go there to bring him home as it was already late.

“When I got there, they were having an argument with my brother and when I beckoned on him to follow me home, the boys began harassing me. They started slapping me and caused a commotion in the area.

“They then attacked me with cutlasses and knives, which they had hidden under their dresses. The viewers at the centre had to run for their lives. There was uproar everywhere and when I ran to escape, they chased me and stabbed me until I fainted. They then left.

“As they were doing this, my brother had rushed home to intimate my wife. The two of them went to the police station to report the incident. Policemen arrived later to effect the arrest of my attackers,” he stated.

Confirming the incident, the Police Public Relations Officer, Ekiti Command, Deputy Superintendent Caleb Ikechukwu, said the command would not tolerate any act of hooliganism and disruption of public peace by any individual or group.

Ikechukwu said the perpetrators had been arrested and would be charged to court on conclusion of investigations.