A popular radio presenter with Faaji FM, a sister company
of Africa Independent Television, Mr Soji Omotayo, recently escaped
death by a whisker when a jealous husband attacked him with a machete.
The man, a car dealer at Sango, Ado-Odo/Ota Local Government Area of
Ogun State, accused Omotayo of having an affair with his wife.
The
furious husband, Kunle (surname withheld), attacked Omotayo on August
22. Omotayo said that he was surprised by the attack because he and
Kunle had been doing business together for years. Kunle was said to have
lured the victim to his house at Sango on that fateful day, saying that
he had secured a ‘publicity job’ for him. Omotayo and his Personal
Assistant got to Kunle’s house around 8am and called him on the phone
that they were already at his gate. The presenter left his PA inside his
car and went to meet his supposed benefactor. He said: “I was ushered
into his living room. When I entered, I met his daughter and wife there.
They
greeted me and left the living room. I noticed that he locked the door,
but did not remove the key from the keyhole. The man then asked me if
my wife was in Nigeria and I said yes. He told me to call her that he
just wanted to say hello to her. “What shocked me most was that after
he collected the phone from me, he told my wife he purposely invited me
to his house just to kill me. He told my wife that I was dating his
wife.” Omotayo said that before he knew what was happening, Kunle
had pocketed his phone and brought out a sharp machete from his
trousers. Kunle allegedly inflicted cuts on Omotayo’s head, arm and
stomach. Omotayo said: “I started shouting for help. Before I knew what
was happening, another machete landed on my stomach.
I struggled
with him to take possession of the machete. I pushed him away before I
was able to open the door and locked him inside. Some of the
residents gathered at the gate to see what was happening.” The presenter
explained that it was his call for help that alerted his PA and
residents of the area. He said: “My PA and his wife joined in calling
for help. People rushed into the compound. Among the people that rushed
to his house was Alhaji Moruf Alagbe, who invited policemen from Onipanu
Police Station, near Obasanjo Farms in Ota.
The policemen took
me to their station alongside the suspect.” Omotayo said that he was
rushed to the hospital by one Inspector Liasu from the police station,
where his head was stitched. He added: “Other parts of my body where I
sustained injuries were treated. I was then brought back to the station,
where some family members of the culprit had gathered. They begged
me for settlement, but I told the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) that
what I wanted was justice.” According to Omotayo, when he reported to
the station the following day, he was shocked to discover that Kunle had
been granted bail. The case was later transferred to Zone 2 Police
Command, Onikan, Lagos State for further investigations.
At press
time, Kunle could not be reached on his mobile phone as it was switched
off. When contacted on the phone, the Zone 2 Police Public Relations
Officer, Mr Lawal Adebowale, said he was driving. But, subsequently,
Adebowale refused to pick his calls.
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