The Police in Lagos State says it has contacted the International Police over a runaway murder suspect simply identified as Sunday, for allegedly stabbing his 21-year-old girlfriend, one Cecilia Joseph, to death in the FESTAC Town area of the state.
The incident reportedly occurred on Christmas Day at the lovers’ rented apartment on Waterside Street in the Lakeview Estate, Phase 2, in the Amuwo Odofin Local Government Area of the state.
The duo were said to have been involved in a scuffle which saw the runaway murder suspect stabbing Cecilia in the neck and in the stomach after allegedly grabbing a kitchen knife.
According to neighbours, who learnt of the attack after Sunday had fled the house, the duo had been living in the apartment without being married for some months before the incident happened.
Concerned neighbours were said to have reported the matter to the FESTAC Police Division. Subsequently, policemen from the division came to the house and took Cecilia to the Isolo General Hospital, where she was confirmed dead.
The Punch gathered that the bloodstained knife used by the suspect had also been recovered by the police.
A female resident, who pleaded anonymity, said, “There was a quarrel between them on the Christmas Day. I heard that it was the woman who first went to take the knife and attacked the man.
“The man then took the knife from her and stabbed her in the neck. It was her screams that alerted the neighbours. I think she had died before the police arrived.
“The man ran away before anyone took notice,” the unnamed resident added.
Meanwhile, the matter had been transferred to the Homicide Section of the State Department of Criminal Investigation, Yaba, where investigation is ongoing.
A police source told the newspaper that the suspect ran out of the country to the Benin Republic and is believed to have sustained knife injuries.
“He killed the lady in anger. He has escaped out of the country. The knife is with us and we also took photographs of the scene of the crime,” the police source noted.
The Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, DSP Joe Offor, while confirming the incident, said the Interpol section would be given the suspect’s details to aid their investigations.
“The details of the matter will be given to the Interpol, and we will arrest him where he is.
“We will look for the suspect and we will get him. The police have no jurisdictional problem even if the suspect has fled to the Benin Republic. Our Interpol section has been contacted.
“Meanwhile, the corpse was taken to the Isolo General Hospital and deposited in a morgue there for an autopsy. Investigation is ongoing,” the PPRO added.
