How Landlord’s son killed tenant’s wife over alleged unpaid rent in Ore … suspect also attacked husband, daughter, surrenders self to police. By Kunle Michael

How Landlord’s son killed tenant’s wife over alleged unpaid rent in Ore

… suspect also attacked husband, daughter, surrenders self to police

By Kunle Michael 

A rent dispute took a tragic turn in Ore, Odigbo Local Government Area of Ondo State, on Thursday as a 27-year-old man, Quozeem Awe, allegedly killed a nursing mother, Deborah Adeleye, in a shocking early morning attack.

The suspect, said to be the son of the landlord of the building, allegedly attacked the family in the early hours of the day, fatally wounding Deborah and inflicting injuries on her husband, Mathew Adeleye, and their daughter.

The incident occurred around 5:00 a.m. at the Ore Alaba area, beside a popular school, shattering the calm of the usually quiet neighbourhood as frightened residents fled their homes in confusion.

Sources said the violence stemmed from a lingering disagreement over rent between the landlord’s son and Mathew, one of the tenants in the property owned by the suspect’s father.

The dispute, which had reportedly persisted for weeks, escalated when the suspect allegedly stormed the apartment armed with a knife and a cutlass.

Speaking from his hospital bed, Mathew disclosed that he and other tenants had earlier been served a quit notice, even though their rent had not yet expired.

He explained that his tenancy was due to lapse on March 16 and that he had already begun arrangements to vacate the premises.

“I had reached out to friends to help us secure another apartment, and we eventually found one.

“We were preparing to move out that same Thursday the incident happened,” he said.

He maintained that there had been no prior physical altercation between him and the landlord’s son before the attack.

Recounting the ordeal, Mathew said that at about 5:00 a.m., Quozeem allegedly knocked on their door. Sensing danger, he claimed he cautioned the only remaining tenant in the building not to open the entrance gate, expressing fears that the suspect could become violent.

“While I briefly stepped out to use the toilet, the other tenant allegedly opened the entrance door, allowing him to enter.

He immediately rushed into our room where my wife, Deborah, was lying on the bed,” he narrated.

According to him, the suspect allegedly pounced on his wife and stabbed her.

“She screamed that she had been stabbed. She died instantly,” he said.

The tragic scene threw the household into turmoil as the couple’s four children, including a nine-month-old baby, burst into uncontrollable tears.

“I ran out on hearing the noise and confronted him at the entrance.

During the struggle, I tried to wrest the knife from him but slipped.

He overpowered me and stabbed me in the back, hand and leg,” Mathew added.

Their first child, Tunrayo Adeleye, reportedly sustained an injury to the wrist while attempting to flee the attack.

She managed to escape and raised the alarm, alongside one of Deborah’s customers who had arrived early to deliver bread for her tea business.

Sympathisers who responded to the distress call rushed the victims to a nearby hospital.

Meanwhile, the tenant accused of opening the entrance reportedly fled the scene and has not been seen since.

Quozeem was said to have turned himself in at a nearby police station shortly after the incident.

A police source confirmed that Deborah’s remains had been deposited at a morgue in Ore, while investigations into the matter are ongoing.