Trader Kills Customer In The Process Of Price Negotiation

The Lagos State Police Command
has arrested a trader, Mr.
Lawrence Ikonne, for allegedly
murdering a buyer, Isa Yaya,
because they bargained over the
price of a merchandise.
According to PUNCH Metro the incident
occurred at Ikonne’s residence on Afro Close,
Afromedia Estate, Okokomaiko, Lagos.
It was learnt that Ikonne sold electronic
appliances at the Alaba International Market,
Ojo, Lagos.
The victim, 22-year-old Yaya, who comes from
the northern part of Nigeria, had gone to
Ikonne’s apartment to buy a fairly used air
conditioner. Yaya frequently bought and re-
sold condemned iron and electrical materials.
Punch Metro gathered that Ikonne, 26, from
the Isiala-Ngwa South Local Government Area
of Abia State, had gone to Alaba market on
the morning of Friday, October 10, where he
first met Yaya.
Ikonne had allegedly invited the deceased to
his house to buy his second-hand air
conditioner.
When they got to the apartment, they went in
to bring out the merchandise and started
arguing over the price.
Yaya argued on buying the air conditioner
below N5, 000 which didn’t go well with
Ikonne.
The argument continued, as a fight started
between them that became fierce and in the
process Ikonne reportedly hit Yaya with a
plank on his stomach.
When the suspect was interrogated, he said
he told Yaya to pay N5,000 or help him carry
the merchandise back into the apartment but
Yaya refused. The suspect added he felt
insulted by his attitude.
He said, “I had not met the young
man before. I met him that
morning at the Alaba market, and
asked him to buy one of my
appliances: an air conditioner. He
actually looked like a cart pusher.
When we got home, we both went
in to remove the product, and we
brought it outside for negotiation.
“As we continued, he said he
would pay less than N5, 000. I
replied that he should assist me
to return it to where we took it
from, but he refused. In the
process, we started fighting. He
even asked me to pay him for
helping me bring it out. I was
mad, and I hit his belly with a
plank.
“When I realised he had fainted, I
tied him with a rope and dragged
him into a corner. I also fled the
house.”
It was gathered that it was one of Ikonne’s co-
tenants that noticed Yaya’s body where the
suspect had tied him up.
He raised an alarm, and reported the case to
the Okokomaiko police station. The policemen
later came to arrest Ikonne.
Meanwhile, Ikonne has been transferred to
the State Criminal Investigations
Department, Yaba, and he would be charged
to court soon.