38-Year-Old Graduate Beaten to Death in Ogun Over Child Interaction

A 38-year-old university graduate, Mike Oje, was allegedly beaten to death by his neighbour following a disagreement over his interaction with the neighbour’s three-year-old child in Mowe, Ogun State.

The incident reportedly occurred after Oje hugged and played with the child, prompting the father, identified by the police as 43-year-old Edebiri Temitope, to accuse him of engaging in what he considered “rough play”.

According to the Ogun State Police Command, the disagreement escalated when Temitope allegedly became angry and picked up a bamboo stick.

Police spokesperson, DSP Oluseyi Babaseyi, said the suspect allegedly used the stick to repeatedly hit Oje until he collapsed and died.

“A 38-year-old university graduate, Mike Oje, was reportedly beaten to death by his neighbour in Mowe, Ogun State. He was accused of hugging and playing with the neighbour’s three-year-old child,” Babaseyi said.

Oje was a university graduate with a degree in Guidance and Counselling. Reports said he had only recently completed his studies.

Following the incident, Temitope was initially reported to have fled the area with his family.

However, the police later announced that he had been arrested in connection with Oje’s death.

The command said the suspect had been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department, Eleweran, Abeokuta, for further investigation.

A relative of the deceased previously told reporters that Oje had returned from work on the day of the incident when the child approached him. The relative alleged that Oje hugged the child and playfully lifted him before going into his room.

The relative further alleged that the child’s father later confronted Oje over the interaction, leading to the fatal assault. These details are based on the family’s account and remain subject to the police investigation.

The police have not indicated that Oje was accused of any criminal conduct involving the child. The reported dispute centred on the father’s allegation that the interaction amounted to rough play.