Widow murdered, as man commits suicide in Lagos

Christopher Oji

Tragedy struck Tuesday  at  Amusu-Igboro Street, off Vespa Bus Stop Ijaniki area of Mile 2-Badagry Expressway, Lagos ,as a widow, Mama Yusuf, was murdered inside her house.

Also, a young man, Princewill Okoroafor, allegedly commuted suicide at Lakeview Estate, Amuwo Odofin.

Mama Yusuf was allegedly killed by a yet-to-be-identified assailant who lured her into her apartment before strangulating her.

Mama Yusuf’s  body was discovered by her children  five hours after she was  killed.

It was gathered that the deceased received  a phone call while she was seeing her children off to school around 7am, prompting her to return home.

It was gathered further that her killer lured her to  her bedroom, where she was strangled, before she was  eventually stabbed to death.

No  arrest has been made in connection with the murder, but  the police said they have commenced  investigation into the matter to unmask the assailant who escaped through a window after bolting the main door from the inside.

A police source said: “From all indications, we suspect that her killer may be a well known person to her. Nobody heard her screaming during the attack. The body has been deposited at the morgue pending the outcome of the investigation.”

A neighbour who spoke on the condition of anonymity said the  mother of four lost her husband last year and was selling charcoal to survive, before she was murdered.

Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), DSP Bala Elkana, however, said that he had not been briefed  on the issue by the Divisional Police Officer in charge of the area.

In another development, a  31-year-old-man, Princewill Okoroafor, allegedly committed suicide by drinking a poisonous substance believed by the police to be the rat killer, Sniper. His body was found in his apartment at Lakeview Phase 1 Estate, Amuwo Odofin.

A police source said  the deceased was suspected to have drunk  a tin  of insecticide, Sniper, as an empty tin was found in his apartment.

In her reaction, the deceased’s mother, Mrs. Juliet Okoroafor, said she suspected foul play in his death and called on the police to conduct an autopsy to ascertain the exact cause of death .

Mrs. Okoroafor said: “I received a call on January 7, that my son was about to commit suicide. I rushed to the scene and met him lying on the floor in his room. He was rushed to First Line Hospital in Festac, where he was confirmed dead. I want the police to conduct autopsy on him to ascertain the cause of his death.”

Elkana said, “When Mrs. Okereafor reported the matter at the Festac division, the scene was visited by detectives, led by SP Francis Oyeyemi, where an open tin of suspected poisonous substance,  Sniper, was recovered. We are still investigating.”