The Lagos State Police Command has arrested a woman, Helen Okeke, who allegedly killed her neighbour, identified simply as Rose, in the Ikota, Ajah area of Lagos.
It was learnt that Okeke slit Rose’s throat after the duo reportedly had an argument over who poured urine on the latter’s clothes that were spread on the entrance door to her room.
Rose, who was reportedly preparing for her wedding, had returned from work in the afternoon, and noticed a foul smell on the clothes spread on her door.
It was learnt that the deceased went to the landlady, Alhaja Iyabo Hamzat, to report the matter. The landlady was said to have pacified her, offering to give her the money to buy some detergent to wash the clothes.
It was gathered that after some minutes, other neighbours, however, heard Rose’s sudden cry for help in the corridor. The suspect was said to have been found holding the deceased by the neck, with a bloodstained kitchen knife in her hand.
PUNCH gathered that Rose died before she could be rushed to a nearby hospital. Helen Okeke has thus been arrested by policemen from Ajah Police Division.
When PUNCH visited the apartment on Friday, the landlady Alhaja Hamzat said she had served a quit notice to Okeke, popularly known as Mama Chinedu, on several occasions to pack out of the house, adding that the suspect refused to leave.
“Iya Chinedu moved into my house just last year. She moved in with her son. The son later left, saying he was fed up with his mother. I had served her quit notices on several occasions, but she refused to move out. I went to the police at Ikota to report her, but the policemen there said they would not meddle in landlord-tenants’ affairs.”
A resident in the area, identified only as Blessing, said, “Mama Chinedu did not show any remorse at all. Some boys became angry and beat her up. Everyone was shocked, and wanted to find out what offence was committed that made Okeke to stab the young lady.”
Lagos Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Kenneth Nwosu, confirmed the sad incident.
