Man matchets neighbour in Ugep over ₦9,000 debt

Obeten Godfrey, Calabar

A young man identified as Friday Lekam, was matchet by his neighbour (Omini Otana) in Ugep, Yakurr local government area of Cross River state over a nine thousand naira (9,000) debt.

The incidence happened at about 1:30 pm on Wednesday, May 20, behind the Ugep stadium, along Donald Duke way, Ikpakapit.

A close family source, who pleaded anonymity said, "the victim (Friday) is a daily income earner, who hands money to one of our neighbour for custody pending when he would open a bank account. He is a brother to me and works hard everyday to make ends meet. He was keeping that money with someone else so he will not misuse it."

"When Friday felt it was time to open the bank account, he approached the person he gave the money to, but was told the money was missing.

"The Lady however pleaded with him to exercise patience and give her some time to properly look for the money.

"Few days after, this my brother went to the lady to get his money, only to be told the money has been used. She said the money was used by her husband without her notice, but promised they will pay back the money in a short time; a situation which got Friday angry. That's where the whole problem started," he said.

He added that "Both parties, that is the victim and the lady's husband agreed for a daily payment of three hundred naira, since they couldn't meet up with the weekly payment of one thousand naira as initially proposed. This is because it was difficult for them to pay up the money at once."

"Rather than keep to terms of their agreement, my neighbour, Omini started getting angry at (Friday) over his approach towards getting the money. We are all neighbours and we live like brothers here. I don't know if there is something else or if the two of them had issues before. This is strange and wicked," the source was quoted as saying.

Narrating his ordeal, the victim, said: "On Wednesday, Ikwo's husband, that is the man that is owing me money saw me on my way from farm and picked me home on his bike. When we got home, he told me to take my bath and come to his house. I taught he wanted to pay me back the money he is owing me. When I got to his house, he asked me to assist him pickup his television and DVD player from an electronics shop, and I agreed.

"After we left the house together on his bike to pick the DVD player, he drove past the electronics shop where we were supposed to stop and was heading to another location. When i asked him where we were going, he said that he was pressed and that he wanted to go to toilet behind the stadium.

"While we were driving to stadium, i was scared because stadium is a very quiet and scary place. I told him to stop so I could ease myself. While I was done urinating and waiting for him, I suddenly saw him behind me with a cutlass and before I could realise, he started cutting me. I screamed and tried to run, but my shirt got hooked on the carrier of his bike which he parked behind. We both fell down and he used the matchet on me. I struggled with him but it was difficult because he was stronger and there was nobody to rescue me.

"It was until he heard some voices before he kicked his bike and ran away. He wanted to pieces my head but i managed to defend myself by shielding my face with my hands. I was bleeding until some Okada riders who were driving stopped by and took me to the hospital," said Friday who has been since been discharged from hospital.

Meanwhile the police in Ugep is on top of the matter as investigation to fish the culprit has commenced.

As at the time of filing this report, the suspect was still at large.