Youths stab man to death

[Punch]

The feud between some Ilaje and Ajah youths in Lagos State reached a climax on Monday night as an Ilaje indigene, Oreofe Olorunlana, was stabbed to death by some youths suspected to be from the Ajah community.

PUNCH Metro learnt that Olorunlana, who is said to be married, was coming from his mother's home when he was stabbed to death at Ilaje Junction.

However, another version had it that the victim was on his way from work when he was stabbed.

PUNCH Metro had reported last year that over 50 houses were burnt by Ajah youths after a crisis emanating from the indigene/settler dichotomy erupted in the area.

A resident, who identified herself simply as Mary, told our correspondent that due to the feud between the two parties, a police patrol vehicle was usually stationed at the said junction but whenever the tension was doused, the killing would start again.

She said, "The Ajah youths usually stand by Ilaje Junction where they collect money from tippers and buses who come into the area because they claim they are the real indigenes while the Ilajes are settlers.

"However, apart from the extortion, anytime an Ilaje youth is seen at the said junction, the Ajah youths always attack them. The police are aware of this and there is usually security in the area but the attack still occurs.

"On Monday night, the victim, who is an Ilaje indigene, was coming from his mother's home when he was attacked. Unfortunately, he wasn't even living in the area, he moved out many years ago."

Police Public Relations Officer, Ngozi Braide, told our correspondent that normalcy had returned in the area.

She said the corpse was brought to the Ajah Police Division by Ilaje youths who claimed that Ajah youths that stabbed him to death.

Braide said investigations were ongoing but confirmed that the authorities were aware of the feud between the two factions.

She said, "We received a distress call that there was fighting in Ajah but the hoodlums fled. Ilaje youths brought a corpse to the station around 3pm on Tuesday claiming that it was Ajah youths that killed him but no specific name was mentioned.

"Investigations are ongoing to arrest the culprits but normalcy has since returned in the area."