A 17-year-old Senior Secondary School student of Ado Grammar School, Ado Ekiti, Kehinde Timilehin, reportedly hacked a fellow student, Favour Matthew, 16, to death on Thursday.
The two pupils were said to have engaged each other in ‘charms (juju) contest’ following which Mathew was said to have gone home to bring an axe and bottles to attack Timilehin.
During the contest, sources said Timilehin allegedly overpowered Mathew. He collected the axe from Matthew and struck him in the chest. He was rushed to the Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital, Ado Ekiti, where he died.
The school principal, Mr Ebenezer Falayi explained that the sad incident occurred around 2.15pm at a far section of the school after closing hours.
Falayi said, “This incident really saddened us because it was avoidable. What I gathered from students who were at the spot was that the two were arguing over who had superior power and the deceased had earlier gone home to bring all those weapons which could not pierce the suspect when used on him.
“I was told that the suspect later overpowered the deceased and collected those weapons and attacked the victim in the chest. Our teachers, including myself, the vice principal and registrar alongside other teachers who were resident in the school here rushed him to EKSUTH. We even took the suspect along.
“The victim was put on life support, but that could not help the situation, he died in the hospital. I had to quickly call the DPO of Odo Ado Police Station who reinforced his men and contacted the police station at Oke Ila, Ado Ekiti, to prevent the suspect from being killed by highly enraged deceased’s family members.
“The hospital insisted on an autopsy before releasing the corpse, but the family resisted it. The corpse was later released to the family when it nearly caused trouble in the hospital.
“The police also took the suspect into custody. But I had to beg for security beef up around the school when there was a threat that 30 students will be killed in reprisal today (Friday),” Falayi stated.
A police source, who confirmed the incident, said: “The suspect was immediately taken to the Criminal Investigation Department at the Police Command shortly after the deceased was confirmed dead.”
Police Public Relations Officer, Ekiti Command, DSP Caleb Ikechukwu, said the suspect was in the police custody while investigation had begun.
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