Tragedy struck in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital, as a 25-year-old man, Hammed Tunde, was allegedly stabbed to death by his friend, identified simply as Gafar, during a heated argument reportedly over a woman.

The incident occurred on Tuesday evening at Oja Gboro, when the two friends, said to be close companions, were patronising a sugarcane seller.

Eyewitnesses said a minor disagreement between them quickly escalated into a fight, during which Gafar, 21, allegedly stabbed Tunde in the chest with a knife.

“The argument was about a girlfriend they were both interested in. Before we knew it, Gafar brought out a knife and stabbed his friend,” an eyewitness told PUNCH Online under anonymity.

Tunde, a resident of Ile-Soro 2, Oja Gboro, was rushed to a nearby private hospital and later referred to the General Hospital, Ilorin, where he was confirmed dead on arrival.

The suspect, a native of Ile Olowo in the same area, reportedly fled the scene immediately after the attack. As of the time of filing this report, his whereabouts and those of his family members remain unknown.

Confirming the incident on Thursday, the spokesperson for the Kwara State Police Command, SP Adetoun Ejire-Adeyemi, said the command received a distress call around 2:30 a.m. on Wednesday and promptly dispatched operatives to the scene.

“Preliminary investigation revealed that the deceased, Hammed Usman Tunde, was stabbed by his friend, Gafar, who fled immediately after the incident. Operatives later visited the suspect’s family house, but the entire household had absconded,” she said.

The Commissioner of Police, CP Adekimi Ojo, while commiserating with the bereaved family, ordered a discreet investigation and assured that efforts are underway to track down the fleeing suspect.

He also commended residents of Oja Gboro for maintaining peace and avoiding jungle justice, urging them to remain calm as the police intensify efforts to bring the culprit to justice.