A commercial bus driver, Sulu Ambali, 45, has died after he received one blow from his assailant last Sunday, Sallah day in the Badagary area of Lagos.
The Kwara State indigene was allegedly punched with a ring laced with charm, by an alleged Indian hemp smoker, Daduro Afefe.
The incident reportedly happened around 4:30 pm at Okemorosun, off Magbon Town, Badagry in Lagos.
Suliu who went to work on the said day, had retuned to join friends celebrating the Eld -el Fitri.
While he was enjoying with friends, a call for help came from a woman who cried that her aged husband was about being beaten by Afefe.
Suliu and his friends had rushed to the man,Baba Rotimi, a member of Vigilante Group of Nigeria(VGN) to rescue him.
Unfortunately, Afefe who was in a mission to kill, took out the ring, and aimed for Suliu, who had admonished him not to insult or attempt to beat Baba Rotimi and punched him in the stomach.
Suliu died immediately, while Afefe, who knew the gravity of the offence he had committed fled the area.
A friend of the deceased, Atolagbe Adetoyi, who witnessed the whole drama, said :“ The fact that my friend is gone still seem like a dream. I am yet to believe it. On that day, which was sallah day, Suliu, and a few of us, all friends, sat somewhere and we were discussing. Suddenly, the wife of the elder brother to one of us ran to us calling for help.
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“ She said that Afefe and his friend (name unknown) were about beating up her husband. We hurriedly went to the rescue of the old man, Baba Rotimi. We asked what happened and we were told that Afefe sat in a tricycle and was smoking weed with his friend. The rider told them to excuse him as he was about to resume business, but they refused.
“ The rider who is also not a troublesome man, as we call him pastor, came to called Baba Rotimi, as an elder, to intervene in the matter and it was while he was trying to caution the boys that they started raining insult on him and threatened to beat him up.
“ We ordered the boys to leave the old man, and warned them against their unruly behaviour. This didn’t go down well with them, as they pick a fight with us. Suliu even called Afefe telling him to desist from causing trouble.
“ Afefe wanted to pick a fight with Suliu, but neighbour pleaded with the deceased to l overlook his action. The matter was settled and we went back to where we were sitting and continued our discussion.
“ Suddenly, Afefe appeared from nowhere, he walled to Suliu, and was about to punch him when one of us, blocked the punch with his hand. Immediately the man’s hand became numb and stiff. Since then, the man has not been able to do anything with that hand.
“ The second punch landed on Suliu’s stomach, and he immediately fell to his knees, and then face down. When we raised his head, he was white, it was as though all the blood in his body had dried up.
“ He died immediately, while Afefe who knew what he had done ran away. We searched every know place for him but to no avail. We were however lucky to get his accomplice and we handed him over to operatives of Morogbo Police Station.The family had buried him according to Islamic law and are demanding that the police should arrest the fleeing killer.
“ What we want is for the police to arrest Afefe. He is a notorious criminal as we later heard that he was into armed robbery amongst other criminal acts. We want justice for our friend, we want the Lagos State Government to take over the matter and let the suspects pay for their crime.”
Distraught wife of the deacesed, Silifat Ambali, managed to speak to the correspondent.
Silifat who discribed her husband as a peace loving fellow, a devote muslim, a caring father to his two children, and a loving husband said she also wants justice.
Speaking on how she found out about her husband’s death, she said: “ On the day the incident happened, I was at home when someone ran to tell me that my husband was dying.
“ I asked what happened and where, they led me to Marwa Park. When I got there, he was gone. I later heard that a boy hit him with a ring laced with charm, which killed him immediately. The boy has since fled, one thing I know is that there is God, and I leave this battle to him. I will also appreciate if the police can fish him out of his hiding. He has to be punished for what he had done. ”
