Dauda Jolaosho, a 44-year-old fish farmer residing in Alako Nla village along Kobape Road, Abeokuta, has accused his neighbor of shooting and killing his wife due to an unpaid debt of solar lights.
According to Jolaosho, his neighbor and friend, Saheed Olawale, who works as a timber operator, allegedly shot both him and his wife. While Jolaosho survived with a gunshot wound to his arm, tragically, his wife succumbed to her injuries immediately.
Recalling the heartbreaking incident, Jolaosho recounted that the tragedy unfolded on Wednesday, April 2024, leaving him utterly devastated. He expressed the profound impact of the loss, noting that his wife’s untimely death left behind eight-month-old twins, as well as three other children aged 13, 10, and five.
Jolaosho explained that the whole incident began on April 23, 2024, when the vendors from whom they had purchased solar lights visited his home.
He clarified that they had acquired the solar lights from them in March of the previous year, making an initial deposit of N10,000, with subsequent weekly payments of N1,150, totaling approximately N67,000.
Jolaosho emphasized his consistent adherence to the payment schedule, with only N3,000 remaining to be paid. However, when the vendors visited, they expressed concerns about Olawale, also known as “Komaye”, revealing that he had ceased making the weekly payments and was unresponsive to their attempts to contact him.
Consequently, they decided to reclaim the solar light and provided a contact number for Olawale to communicate with them upon his return from work.
Jolaosho elaborated that when Olawale returned from work and discovered that his solar light had been reclaimed by the company, he started a quarrel with Jolaosho, unwilling to entertain any explanation.
According to Jolaosho, the following morning, on Wednesday, April 24, Olawale visited his house, seized his phone, and departed. Moments later, Olawale returned brandishing a local gun. Despite his wife’s pleas for mercy, Olawale abruptly discharged the firearm, injuring Jolaosho in the arm.
When Jolaosho turned around, he was confronted with the tragic sight of his wife, with whom he had shared nearly 18 years of marriage, lying lifeless in a pool of blood.
Jolaosho emphasized that the incident was initially reported at the Kemta police station in Abeokuta and subsequently transferred to the Ogun State Police Command headquarters in Eleweran, Abeokuta.
Jolaosho also shared that his late wife was laid to rest on Tuesday in Alako Nla, Abeokuta. As he seeks justice for her tragic death, he appeals to the Ogun State government and fellow Nigerians for support in caring for the five children left behind.
Confirming the incident, the Divisional Police Officer of Kemta, CSP Wale Famobuwa, in a conference call with the spokesperson of the Ogun State Police Command, SP Omolola Odutola, provided confirmation of the incident.
The DPO explained that the incident was reported to their station between 12 and 2 pm on that day, and they promptly responded by visiting the scene of the crime.
And According to their investigation, the altercation started when the deceased woman’s husband engaged in a dispute with the alleged killer of the woman.
It was reported that he threatened to throw stones at the man who later fatally shot his wife. The alleged perpetrator warned him against this action, stating that he would retaliate with gunfire if provoked.
Despite the warning, Jolaosho purportedly proceeded to throw stones at Olawale, prompting him to draw his dane gun and fire at both Jolaosho and his wife, who was attempting to intervene and defuse the situation.
The police further stated that Olawale remains at large, but they are committed to apprehending him and ensuring that justice is served.
