omoh
The police in Lagos have launched a manhunt for a
30-year-old man, Seyi Okanlawon, for allegedly
clubbing his stepfather, Alex Momoh, 63, to death in
the Ilupeju, Mushin area of Lagos State.
PUNCH Metro learnt that Seye hit the victim with a
pestle in the head and leg after a disagreement over
a cake made by his sister, Moyo Okanlawon.
The incident happened on Railway Line, Ilupeju,
Mushin area.
Our correspondent learnt that the deceased, who
worked as a driver in a cosmetics company, had
eight children from three women, before marrying
his fourth wife, Lola.
Lola also had had four children from a previous
marriage before marrying the Edo State indigene.
Among the children were Seye and Moyo, who were
both married.
Moyo, however, moved into the Ilupeju residence of
the Momohs after her husband's apartment was
reportedly demolished.
Trouble started on Wednesday after Alex reported to
Lola, a trader, that Moyo had placed a piece of cake
on his bed where he wanted to sleep.
Moyo, in turn, reported to his brother, Seye, who
was on a visit at the time.
The suspect was alleged to have grabbed a pestle
with which he hit the victim in the head and leg. Alex
was said to have passed out as blood drained from
his body. The victim was later rushed to the Lagos
University Teaching Hospital, Idi Araba, where he
died.
The matter was said to have been reported at the
Ilupeju Police Division. Osagie, 19, one of the
children of the deceased, said the incident happened
around 7pm.
He said, "It was between 6pm and 7pm. My sister
(Moyo) complained to Seye after my father reported
her to mum. He then started abusing my father, who
ignored him and went to his room.
"But Seye followed him inside and picked a pestle
with which he hit him in the head and blood started
coming out. He became unconscious and we
rushed him to a hospital."
However, Lola claimed that the incident happened
late in the night, adding that their neighbours were
fast asleep and could not intervene.
She said, "I am a trader and I have my shop
opposite the house. I had four children before I
married him. He had three wives and they all had
children for him.
"On that day, my husband had gone to work in the
morning and returned around 5.30pm. At about
10.30pm, he came to my shop and reported that my
daughter placed a cake on his bed where he wanted
to sleep.
"Seye was sitting beside me when Alex came to
report and he scolded his sister for disrespecting
my husband. Moyo then explained to him that the
mattress had been taken out when she placed the
cake on the bed.
"My husband went inside his room and Seye
followed him in and started abusing him. Osagie,
the son I had for my husband, challenged Seye for
abusing his father, and he (Seye) picked the pestle
and started chasing him with it. He (Osagie) ran
away."
She added that she later went inside the room and
saw that Alex had a swollen head and she was
informed that her husband was injured during a
scuffle with the suspect.
Lola said she poured water on his head to
resuscitate him, and when it failed, he was rushed
to a private hospital before being transferred to
LUTH.
"Osagie was not around when the incident
happened and our neighbours had slept off," she
added.
A daughter of the deceased, Joy, told PUNCH Metro
that the family had already buried the deceased, as
the prime suspect had fled.
"Immediately it happened, the man fled and he has
not been seen since then. We still want justice for
our father and we want the police to get the suspect
arrested," she added.
A police source, however, told PUNCH Metro that
the family was not interested in pursuing the case,
which was why they did not allow an autopsy to be
conducted on the corpse before burial.
The Police Public Relations Officer, Lagos State
Command, DSP Joe Offor, said he would call back,
but he had yet to do so as of the time of filing this
report.
