A tragic altercation between two close friends ended in bloodshed in the Ikese community of Oka-Akoko, Akoko North West Local Government Area of Ondo State, when a 23-year-old tailor, Faith Adeola, allegedly stabbed his friend, Gbenga Olotu, to death during a heated dispute over the alleged theft of an electrical stabiliser.
According to eyewitnesses, Adeola and the deceased, popularly known as “Zagazar,” shared a long-standing friendship and referred to each other as “street brothers,” a term used among young men in local communities to describe close, brother-like companionship often forged through shared life experiences in the neighborhood.
The altercation reportedly began when Adeola accused Olotu of stealing his stabiliser. What started as a verbal exchange quickly escalated into physical violence. Witnesses claimed that during the confrontation, Olotu, in a fit of rage, allegedly attempted to stab Adeola and his wife with a knife. In the struggle that followed, Adeola was said to have overpowered Olotu, disarmed him, and turned the knife against him.
Adeola allegedly stabbed Olotu in the chest and struck him with a wooden object, leading to severe injuries. Neighbors who heard the commotion rushed Olotu to the General Hospital in the area. Sadly, he was pronounced dead upon arrival by medical personnel.
Following the incident, police officers apprehended Faith Adeola and launched an investigation into the matter. He was subsequently arraigned before a Magistrate’s Court on a charge of murder.
The charge sheet read: “That you, Faith Adeola ‘m’, on May 10, 2025, at about 2:30 p.m., at Ikese community, Oka-Akoko, in the Ondo State Magisterial District, did unlawfully stab one Olotu Gbenga ‘m’ a.k.a. ‘Zagazar’ with a knife on his chest and also hit him with wood on his body, which resulted in his death, thereby committing an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 319(1) of the Criminal Code, Cap 37, Vol. I, Laws of Ondo State of Nigeria, 2006.”
The plea of the defendant was not taken, as the Magistrate’s Court lacks jurisdiction to try capital offences such as murder.
The Prosecuting Counsel, Mrs. Folasade Adeyemi, requested the court to remand the defendant in custody pending the issuance of legal advice from the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP), which would determine whether the case should proceed to trial at the High Court.
Presiding Magistrate, Mrs. R.I. Adelakin, ordered that the defendant be remanded at the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) in Akure. She adjourned the case to May 29, 2025, for further mention and to await the DPP’s legal advice.
The tragic incident has left the local community in shock, with many residents expressing sadness over the loss of a young life and the unfortunate turn of events between two close companions.