By Gift Oba
One Dauda Jolaosho, a resident of Alako Nla village, along Kobape Road, Abeokuta, has alleged that his neighbor shot and killed his wife over unpaid solar light debt.
Jolaosho, 44, who is a fish farmer, alleged on Wednesday that his neighbour and friend, Saheed Olawale, a timbre operator, shot him and his wife but while he survived with a gunshot wound on his arm, his wife died instantly.
Narrating the tragic incident, Jolaosho stated that the incident which occurred on Wednesday, April 2024, had left him completely shattered, as his wife left behind eight months old twins, and three other children aged 13, 10 and five.
He said, “This incident actually started on April 23, 2024. I was about to go out when the people that we bought solar light from came to my house.
“We actually bought these solar lights from them last year, in March; we made a deposit of N10,000 after which we are now paying N1150 every week, the total money is around N67,000.
“And I have been paying what is due for this solar light every week, in fact, what I have left to pay is N3,000. So when these people came to my house, they said that they wanted to check on Olawale too, who is also popularly called Komaye.
“They said that Olawale has stopped the weekly payments and that even when he is called he won’t pick his calls. They said they are left with no choice than to go back with the solar light to their office and they left a phone number with which he can connect with them whenever he’s back from work”.
Jolaosho added that immediately Olawale got back from work and found out that the people had taken his solar light back to their office, he began quarreling with him and wasn’t ready to listen to his explanation.
He said, “the following morning, which was Wednesday, April 24, Olawale came to my house, picked my phone and left.
“The next thing, I saw him coming with the local gun and while my wife was on her knees begging him not to shoot, he suddenly pulled the trigger and I was hit on my arm, but when I looked back I found my wife of almost 18 years in the pool of her blood, she was dead”.
The fish farmer said the incident was first reported at Kemta police station, Abeokuta, after which it was transferred to the Ogun State police command, Eleweran, Abeokuta.
He added that his late wife was buried on Tuesday at Alako Nla, Abeokuta.
While demanding justice for his wife, he implored the Ogun State government and Nigerians to help him care for the five children left behind.
The Divisional Police Officer of Kemta, CSP Wale Famobuwa, in a conference call with the spokesperson of Ogun State police command, SP Omolola Odutola confirmed the incident.
The DPO said, “the incident was reported to our station between 12 and 2pm on that day and we went to the scene of the crime.
“What happened was that the husband of the woman who was shot dead was engaged in a fight with the alleged killer of the woman.
“He was said to have threatened to stone the man who later killed his wife, but this alleged killer warned him not to do that and that if he should stone him, he would shoot him.
“Jolaosho, however, reportedly went ahead to stone Olawale after which he (Olawale) drew out his dane gun and shot at Jolaosho and his wife who was trying to broker peace.”
The police added that Olawale was still at large and vowed to bring him to book.
