Islamic cleric arrested for stabbing landlord to death in Lagos

Punch reports that the incident which happened at Agbotikuyo bus stop in the area, saw Alfa Umaru stab the 45-year-old victim, Tajudeen Popoola, to death following a disagreement over the deceased warnings to the Alfa to stop drinking and performing rituals in his compound.

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It was learned that the late Tajudeen had often reprimanded the Ilorin, Kwara State-born Umaru to stop engaging in behaviours that contravened Islamic doctrines.

The matter, it was gathered, got out of hand when Tajudeen returned from a football viewing centre around 8pm on Sunday, November 20, 2016, and reportedly met Umaru and his friends drinking alcohol in front of the building.

The landlord was said to have rebuked the suspect, leading to an altercation after which they both retired to their respective apartments.

Some minutes later, the suspect stormed Popoola's apartment armed with a broken bottle with which he stabbed the deceased to death.

A younger brother of the late Popoola, Azeez, said Umaru came into his brother's apartment threatening to kill him for interfering in his affairs.

“Alfa usually quarreled with my brother because he used to correct his excesses. Any time they had a disagreement, he would threaten to kill my brother. On Sunday, he made good his threat.

Everywhere was dark that evening. He sneaked into the passage where my brother was resting on a bench. Alfa didn’t know I was resting at a corner in the passage.

I suddenly heard my brother scream and before I knew what was happening, blood was gushing out from his neck while Alfa fled.

I went after him and with the help of neighbours, he was apprehended and the shard was recovered from him.

We rushed my brother to the Ile Epo General Hospital but before we got there, he had lost a lot of blood. He died a few minutes later. Alfa stabbed him in three different places in the neck.”

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A police source reveals that the suspect has been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department (SCIID), Yaba, for interrogation after which he would be charged to court.