A 29-year-old lady, Iretioluwa Biodun, has been dragged to court for allegedly cutting off the tongue of her neighbour and confidant, Babangida Sulyman, in Ogudu area of Lagos State.
The lady, who carried out the act last week Tuesday, was charged to court on Friday.
Biodun, who stays at Alhaji Abass Street, Ogudu, with her elder sister and the husband, was said to have struck a relationship with Sulyman, who is the son of her landlady, resulting in her sending him on several errands.
The bond between Biodun and Sulyman, 23, was said to have been so strong until some months back when he turned down requests to purchase things for her mum’s tenant again.
This was said to be based on the instruction of Sulyman’s mum, Hassanat Ali, in March 2017.
This drove a wedge between the two, who were seen to be unusually close.
However on Tuesday at about 8pm, Sulyman and Biodun met at a shop close to their house.
The shop owner was said to have intervened in their matter when Biodun scolded Sulyman.
On asking what was wrong, Sulyman told the shop owner he would explain to her later on.
At about 11:30pm when Sulyman went to make use of the bathroom, Biodun was said to have attacked him, cutting off his tongue.
The husband of Biodun’s elder sister, Olumide Agbolade, raised the alarm when he discovered what had happened.
Hassanat Ali said: “They related with each other like siblings.
“She used to send him on errands as far as Ikeja and they went out together.
“I had warned him to stay away from her six months ago when they had a disagreement and she called him an ingrate.
“I saw them together three days before the incident happened and I warned him again.
“I was sleeping when Agbolade banged at our door, calling Musa, Sulyman’s elder brother, to come and see what Biodun did to Babangida.
“By the time we got to the toilet, there was blood everywhere.
“My son could not talk.
“I saw the severed tongue and the jewellery Biodun wore that night in a pool of blood.
“I exclaimed and asked her what happened, but she did not say anything.
“Some neighbours rushed into our building and started beating her.
“I had to caution them and she was handed over to the police.
“Three different hospitals rejected my son before he was eventually admitted to the Lagos State Teaching Hospital, Ikeja.”
One of Sulyman’s brothers, Yahaya Sulyman, said the Investigating Police Officer in charge of the case visited the victim at the hospital to obtain his statement.
Yahaya alleged that the IPO later altered the statement and claimed that Biodun injured Babangida while he was kissing her.
He said: “I am not living with the family.
“I got a call on Wednesday about the incident and rushed to the hospital.
“I met Agbolade there and asked him what transpired.
“He said he wanted to urinate when he heard Babangida screaming and on getting into the toilet, he was bleeding from the mouth.
“Doctors said they could not stitch the tongue.
“A policeman came to the hospital to obtain his statement.
“He could not talk.
“He gave him a pen and paper and he narrated what happened in writing.
“We were surprised when we learnt that the IPO was saying he wanted to kiss her.
“Biodun’s family was pushing for settlement through the police.
“They brought a document for us to sign and offered us N30,000, but we rejected it.
“The DPO intervened and he directed that she should be charged to court.”
The Lagos State Police Public Relations, Olarinde Famous-Cole, confirmed the development.
Famous-Cole equally confirmed that Biodun had been charged to court on Friday.