Tragedy struck last Thursday in Ede, Osun State when soldier attached to 401 Engineering Construction Regiment, identified as Olodi Blessed allegedly stabbed his neighbour, Mrs. Iyabo Olukunle to death.
Nigerian Tribune reliably gathered that Blessed, who recently returned from one of the North-East states, where Nigerian troops were battling Boko Haram terrorists was hitherto residing inside the army barrack, in Ede, before he rented an apartment at Orita Barrack.
Sources informed our correspondent that before he stabbed Iyabo, a nursing mother of five to death around 10.00 am, he had earlier stabbed his wife and son inside the room.
Speaking to the TribuneOnline on the incident on Monday, one of the children of the deceased, Tosin Olukunle said: “We were in our room when we heard the screaming of his wife and my mother rushed out to ascertain what was happening.”
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According to him, “my mother, who was carrying a one-year-old baby sighted Blessed with a knife dripping with blood and decided to run to safety. She, however, fell in a gutter and was trying to carry her baby, who also fell when the soldier attacked her with a knife and stabbed her to death.”
“Later some soldiers came from the barrack and take the corpse of my mother away. They also subdued Blessed and took him to the barrack. Up till now, they haven’t released her corpse to us. We even heard that they have embalmed the corpse.”
“What we want is that the remains of our mother should be released to us. We also want justice over this gruesome killing. Government and well-meaning Nigerians should please come to our aid,” Tosin pleaded.
Another relative of the deceased, identified as Ajasin Olukunle also called on the government and authorities of the Nigerian Army to intervene in the matter.
He stated “to deceased left behind five children who are very young. We need assistance on their upkeep and we also want justice.”
Meanwhile, efforts to get the reaction of the Army spokesperson, Colonel Sagir Musa proved were unsuccessful as calls put through to his cell phone were not answered neither did he respond to the message forwarded to his number.
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