Sad: Wheelbarrow pusher stabs tax collector to death over 50 naira dispute, commits suicide

A yet-to-be-named revenue collector for Oredo Local Government Council of Edo State has been stabbed to death by a wheelbarrow pusher over ₦50.00 ticket.

The yet-to-be-identified wheelbarrow pusher was also said to have committed suicide by cutting his throat with the knife with which he killed the revenue collector.

The tragic incident which occurred Friday morning along Mission Road, caused pandemonium among residents, shop owners and hawkers in the vicinity.

It was gathered that the late revenue collector had earlier kicked the wheelbarrow of the late pusher, spilling its content on the road, over failure to produce ₦50.00 for the ticket.

This was said to have resulted in a verbal altercation between the revenue collector and the wheelbarrow pusher.

Angered by the deceased’s action, the wheelbarrow pusher was said to have removed a knife strapped to his waist and stabbed the revenue collector, spilling out his intestine.

Eyewitnesses who attempted to pounce on the wheelbarrow pusher were said to have been repelled by the knife-wielding young man.

It was further gathered that after waiting for his victim to breathe his last, the wheelbarrow pusher stabbed himself in the neck and also died on the spot.

It was also gathered that operatives of the Oba Market Police Division later evacuated the bodies of the deceased.

An eyewitness who craved anonymity, while not justifying the murder, condemned what he called a “human rights violation by some overzealous revenue collectors” in Benin.

According to him, “His approach was very wrong. But, nothing justifies murder. The economic hardship is too much. Nobody knew that the wheelbarrow pusher had a long knife on his waist.

“When he brought out the long knife, we were surprised. Immediately he stabbed the man, he jumped and fell and died immediately 

Some people around wanted to hold him. But, the wheelbarrow pusher became very wild and said that he would kill anybody who came close.

“We were surprised when he used the same knife he used to kill the guy and stabbed himself in his neck with the same knife. He fell and also died,” he said.

Meanwhile, other revenue collectors of the Oredo local government council have temporarily withdrawn their services.

The State Police Command’s spokesman, SP Chidi Nwabuzor, confirmed the incident to our Correspondent in a phone interview