By Ayodele Oni
A dispute over house rent has led to the killing of a nursing mother by a landlord’s son in Ore, Odigbo local government area of Ondo State.
The suspect, identified as 27-year-old Quozeem Awe, was accused of fatally stabbing Deborah Adeleye and injuring her husband, Mathew Adeleye, as well as their daughter in the early morning attack.
The tragic incident reportedly occurred around 5:00 a.m. at the Ore Alaba area, beside a popular school, throwing the usually peaceful neighbourhood into confusion as frightened residents scampered for safety.
Eyewitnesses recollect that the violence was allegedly triggered by a lingering disagreement over house rent between the suspect and the deceased’s husband, a tenant in a building owned by the suspect’s father.
Sources disclosed that the dispute had been brewing for weeks before the landlord’s son allegedly stormed the apartment armed with a knife and a cutlass, escalating the confrontation.
Speaking from his hospital bed, Mathew Adeleye recounted that he and other tenants had earlier been served quit notices, despite the fact that their rents have not yet expired.
He explained that his tenancy was scheduled to expire on March 16 and that he had already begun arrangements to relocate in compliance with the notice.
“I had informed friends to help us search for another apartment, and we eventually secured one. We were preparing to move out that same day the incident occurred.”
He added that there had been no prior physical altercation between him and the suspect.
Narrating his ordeal, Adeleye explained that at about 5:00 a.m., Quozeem allegedly knocked on their door. Suspecting danger, he claimed to have warned the only other tenant in the building not to open the entrance.
“Moments later, he rushed into the room where my wife, Deborah, was lying on the bed. Immediately he entered, he jumped on her. She screamed that she had been stabbed. She died on the spot,” he alleged.
Adeleye stated that he rushed out upon hearing the commotion and confronted the suspect at the entrance.
“In the struggle to disarm him, I slipped and fell. He overpowered me and stabbed me several times in the back, hand and leg.”
Their first child, Tunrayo Adeleye, was also said to have sustained a stab wound on the wrist while attempting to escape.
She reportedly ran outside to raise the alarm, alongside one of Deborah’s customers who had arrived early to supply bread for her tea business.
The Ondo State Police Command confirmed the incident and arrest of the 27-year-old suspect, Kazeem Awe in connection with the case of suspected murder incident that occurred in the early hours of 26th February 2026 at Daystar Area, Ore-Alaba, Ore.
“Police operatives promptly visited the scene, recovered a blood-stained cutlass suspected to have been used in the attack, and took the suspect into custody.
Meanwhile the suspect has been charged to court and remanded in the custody of a Correction centre.
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