The tension is extremely high at Akure metropolis, Ondo State capital at the weekend as atmospheric condition is very unconducive for the citizens following the alleged killing of a trader identified as Ezeani Ebuka by some soldiers purported to be from the 32 Artillery Brigade.
It was gathered that the unfortunate incident subsequently resulted to outrage and unrest in the Mobil area of the popular Arakale road, where the incident occurred as fellow traders of the deceased barricaded the road.
According to the source, the protest allegedly lead to serious interrupted traffic flow, some passersby and other road users ran scampered for safety of their lives over the fear of the protest escalating into tussle as well as disrupting business activities.
Information gathered from a trader, who agreed to address journalists on anonymity, narrated that trouble began when one of the soldiers mobilised his colleagues to ask for a refund of reward for a service rendered by the 27-year-old deceased trader.
The situation, according to him, led to arguments between the soldier and the trader, during which he was fatally stabbed by one of the soldiers.
In another account of what transpired, another trader who also preferred anonymity stated that before the stabbing of the deceased, the soldiers had beat him and members of his family, with one of them now in a coma.
While establishing occurrence of the incident, the Ondo State Police Command assured the public that efforts had begun to bring the perpetrators to justice.
The police spokesperson in the state, SP Funmilayo Odunlami-Olusanya, affirmed that an investigation had commenced, the police command had demanded that the military authorities identify the soldiers.
“Yes, the police can confirm the stabbing of a young man by a soldier; the command is in touch with the military authority so that the culprit(s) can be identified and arrested,” she said.
