15-yr-old Arabic students arrested for murdering neighbour

A 15-year-old Arabic student, Sodiq Isa, is cooling his feet in the cell of the State Department of Criminal Investigation, (SCID ), Yaba, Lagos State, for allegedly beating his neighbour, 26-year-old Johnson Adeboye, to death with a stick.

The Punch reports that the duo had a disagreement after the victim complained that the suspect was making noise with a plate and Isa was said to have insulted Adeboye, an action which led to a fight that resulted in the death of the victim after Isa hit him on the head with a big stick.

He was said to have been arrested by policemen from the Amukoko division before he was transferred to the SCID for further incestigation.

The suspect, who hails from Ayereke in Kwara State, told the police that it was Adeboye, a Keke Marwa (tricycle) driver, who had first attacked him, and he was forced to retaliate.

“I was returning from Arabic school at about 5pm that day. The plate I used in taking food to school fell from my hands. I picked it up and went to a shop close by to clean it up.

There was a table in front of the shop, so, I hit the plate on the table to remove the sand inside the plate. Johnson (Adeboye) was in front of the shop, and he told me that I was making a noise with it.

I told him I was only trying to clean up the sand in the plate. He asked me if I was mad, that why should I be talking to him like that.

I responded and told him I was not mad. He warned me that if I continued to talk back at him, he would beat me up. I ignored his threat and walked home.

Later, my grand mother who was at home at the time, intervened and asked what the matter was. I was explaining to her when Johnson came from behind and attacked me.

He started beating me. Some people around separated us and he left, but he returned some minutes later to assault me again.

People separated us for the second time, but he went to call one of his friends. Both of them started assaulting me.

It was at this point that I felt the urge to defend myself. I picked a stick on the ground and hit Johnson on the head. Immediately, he fell and became unconscious. Neighbours gathered and rushed him to the hospital. But it was too late as he was already dead.

I am begging for forgiveness. I did not intend to kill him.”

The state Police Public Relations Officer, (PPRO), DSP Joe Offor, confirmed the incident, adding that investigations were ongoing.