ILORIN, Nigeria (FN) — A 25-year-old man was fatally stabbed by his friend during a heated argument reportedly over a woman in Ilorin, the capital of Nigeria’s Kwara State, police said Thursday.
The victim, identified as Hammed Usman Tunde, was allegedly attacked by his 21-year-old friend, known only as Gafar, while the two were patronizing a sugarcane vendor in the Oja Gboro neighborhood on Tuesday evening.
Eyewitnesses said the confrontation escalated quickly from a verbal dispute to violence. “The argument was about a girlfriend they were both interested in. Before we knew it, Gafar brought out a knife and stabbed his friend,” one witness said.
Tunde, a resident of Ile-Soro 2 in Oja Gboro, was rushed to a nearby private hospital and later referred to the General Hospital in Ilorin, where he was pronounced dead on arrival.
The suspect, reportedly from Ile Olowo in the same area, fled the scene immediately after the attack. Police say his whereabouts, along with those of his family members, remain unknown.
Kwara State Police spokesperson SP Adetoun Ejire-Adeyemi confirmed the incident, stating that officers received a distress call around 2:30 a.m. on Wednesday and responded promptly. “Preliminary investigation revealed that the deceased was stabbed by his friend, who fled immediately after the incident. Operatives later visited the suspect’s family house, but the entire household had absconded,” she said.
Commissioner of Police Adekimi Ojo expressed condolences to the victim’s family and ordered a discreet investigation into the matter. He also praised residents of Oja Gboro for maintaining calm and refraining from retaliatory violence.
“We understand the pain of losing a loved one in such a tragic way, but we urge everyone to remain calm as the police intensify efforts to bring the suspect to justice,” Ojo said.
The incident has sparked renewed concerns over youth violence and the need for conflict resolution initiatives in local communities.
