A commercial driver in the Itori area of Ewekoro Local Government in Ogun State, Jimoh Akanbi, has been beaten to death by a suspected motor park tout identified as Idowu aka Stubborn, after the deceased refused to collect ticket from him.
The incident happened penultimate Monday.
Sources said the late driver stopped plying the route three months ago, after his vehicle broke down.
He was said to have fixed his vehicle and started test running it, when he ran into his colleagues at the park and exchanged banters with them.
It was in the middle of the banters that Stubborn, who is a member of asked him to purchase the ticket worth N700.
All explanation by the late driver that his vehicle has not been working fell on stubborn’s deaf ear.
The notorious tout was said to have descended on Jimoh and landed several blows on him.
Jimoh was said to have passed out and was initially revived by sympathisers who poured some water on him, before he was rushed to a nearby hospital, where he later died at about 4pm.
Stubborn, according to sources, fled the scene when the consequences of his conduct dawned on him.
A chieftain of a transport union at the park, who allegedly aided Stubborn’s escape, was however arrested and detained at the Itori Police Division.
Not a few commuters were stranded last Monday and Tuesday, after Jimoh’s colleagues boycotted work to protest his killing.
The remains of the deceased were buried last Tuesday at his home in the Abule Ifo area of Ifo Local Government.
Recalling her husband’s last moments, Jimoh’s widow, Morenikeji said she was at a nearby market, when she was told that her husband collapsed after being mercilessly beaten by Stubborn.
‘’ We took him home after his condition initially stabilised at the hospital where he was rushed to at Itori. But his condition relapsed around 6pm; he was stooling repeatedly and vomiting black substance, and died shortly afterward.
The distraught mother of one, who claimed she had been married to the deceased for over 15 years urged law enforcement agencies and the state government to ensure justice by bringing the culprit to book.
A number of commercial drivers in the community called on the state government to save them from unnecessary harassment by motor park touts who disguise as officials of transport unions.
It was however gathered that the culprit, Stubborn had been arrested in his hideout in the Meiran area of Alagbado, Lagos State on Wednesday.
The spokesman of Ogun State Police Command, Mr Abimbola Oyeyemi, could not be reached on his mobile telephone as of press time.