A 36 year old man, Bolaji AbdulSalam was brutally matcheted to death by a group of cultists in the early hours of Saturday over stoppage of smoking Indian helm in Ilorin, Kwara State capital.
The deceased was learnt to have challenged the cultists who were smoking helm at the front of his family compound at Alfa Yahaya area of Ita-Amon in Ilorin township.
Eye witness accounted that when the cultists response was not favourable to the deceased, he went to the nearby Adewole Police Station and reported the incident where the Police went with him to the venue and arrested seven of the boys.
“On the following day, one of the boys who escaped the Police arrest came to the disputed place and started smoking helm on daylight which made the deceased to challenge him”, eye witness said.
According to eye witness, “Bolaji and the boy started fighting.The boy later brought out English Pistol and shot Bolaji, but the bullets did not penetrate his body. Bolaji however over powered the boy, took the pistol and in the process, the boy ran away”.
“Bolaji took the pistol Adewole Police station to alert them of the new development. There was manhunt for the cultists by the Police and friends of Bolaji on Friday with no success”, source said.
It was also gathered that the cultists later came at early hours of Saturday at about 3.30am to attack the deceased in his house, broke the flat iron gate and his room door where he, wife and daughter were asleep and matcheted him to death.
A resident who spoke to our correspondent on anonymity confirmed to have heard noise of breaking door and came to see but has to ran away when he saw the cultists numbers who were all in black dresses.
The Police immediately came to the place to verify and met with the deceased family. His corpse was released to the family for burial according to the Islamic rites.
Also, a member of the deceased family who prayed anonymous said they have left everything to God and the Police to reveal the faces of the attackers and brought to justice.
Confirming the incident, The PPRO, Kwara State Police command, DSP Ajayi Okasanmi said that the case has been transferred to the State headquaters for proper investigation.
He revealed that some members of the cult group have been arrested and detectives have commenced manhunt for other members at large.
“Investigation is still on to apprehend other members of the group and justice will be done all of them. We are also appealing to members of of the public who have more information about the group to visit our headquarters to assist the Police”, he remarked.
