#crime : Hoodlums kill 47-year-old guard at viewing centre

There was confusion at a football viewing centre on Railway Line, Olaleye Street, in the Iponri area of Lagos State on Thursday after some hoodlums attacked a 47-year-old security man, who had gone to watch a match, and stabbed him to death....


PUNCH Metro learnt that the deceased, Lukman Asendo, was tricked out of the centre with a phone call, before the assailants pounced on him and stabbed him in the chest.

Our correspondent gathered that at about 8.30pm on the fateful day, Asendo, who hailed from Oro, Kwara State, had gone to watch a league match at the centre.

Halfway into the game, Asendo was said to have received a phone call that some persons were outside the centre waiting to see him.

He was said to have been attacked immediately he stepped out by about five hoodlums who afterwards fled the area.

PUNCH Metro learnt that the security man, about three months ago, had asked some hoodlums vandalising cars and stealing in the area to relocate as he would arrest and take them to the police.

It was gathered that Asendo had ensured that the hoodlums did not return to trouble the area as was their culture.

Our correspondent learnt that relatives of the deceased reported the killing at the Iponri Police Division.

When PUNCH Metro visited the area on Tuesday, the football viewing centre was locked.

One of the deceased’s friends, who identified himself as Samuel Folabi, said the deceased was rushed to a nearby hospital, where he died.

He said, “I was coming from my shop on the Railway Line around 9pm when I saw Lukman (Asendo) being attacked by the hoodlums. They stabbed him in the chest and fled in a Keke Marwa (tricycle).

“Lukman was unconscious and was bleeding. We took him to a nearby hospital, but he had died. We brought the corpse to his house at about 10pm. There was commotion at the football centre; nobody could watch any match again.

“On Friday, we went to the police station to report. But I don’t think that the police have arrested any of the killers. Lukman’s wife has packed out of the house for now.”

A security official in the area, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the police had visited the area.

He said, “The hoodlums who stabbed Asendo to death were formerly staying in this area. They are Wasiu, Eba, Onuoha, and Job. They are not cultists. They are just a group of troublemakers who also loot houses. So, Asendo was instrumental to the hoodlums’ relocation to another area, having warned them that he would get them arrested.

“They attacked him three months after he asked them to leave. If other security men had been around, they would not have escaped. But we are all looking for them. We are going to catch them very soon.”

The Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Joe Offor, said he would get back to our correspondent on the matter. He, however, had yet to get back as of press time.