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Family Demands Justice as Police Arrest Suspect Over Alleged Assault
A 38-year-old graduate of Benue State University, Mike Oje, has died after he was allegedly beaten by a neighbour in the Mowe-Ofada area of Ogun State following a disagreement over the way he played with the man’s young son.
The incident, which occurred on Wednesday, August 26, 2026, at Bluestone Treasure Estate, has thrown the deceased’s family into mourning, with relatives demanding a thorough investigation and justice over his death.
According to accounts from the deceased’s relatives, Oje, popularly known as Mike, had returned from work when he encountered the neighbour’s young child, said to be about three or four years old.
The child reportedly ran towards Mike and hugged him. Mike allegedly returned the gesture and playfully lifted the child into the air before taking him back down and retiring to his room.
Shortly afterwards, the child’s father, identified in reports as Temitope Adebiri, reportedly confronted Mike and accused him of playing roughly with his son.
A relative of the deceased, Peter Adum, told The PUNCH that Mike explained that he had merely hugged the boy and lifted him while playing with him. The confrontation, however, allegedly escalated into violence.
‘HE PICKED UP A BAMBOO STICK’
According to the family account, Adebiri allegedly slapped Mike before picking up a bamboo stick and striking him repeatedly.
The relative said Mike was struck around the left side of his chest and subsequently collapsed.
He reportedly died at the scene.
Another report gave a somewhat different account of the alleged assault, stating that Mike was struck with a plank, including a blow to the head. The conflicting accounts underline the importance of the police investigation and any forensic examination in establishing precisely how the fatal injuries occurred.
Mike's relatives said they were alerted after the incident and travelled to the estate, where they found his body.
The family subsequently took the body to the mortuary and began the procedures necessary for an autopsy.
FAMILY: THERE WAS NO PRIOR QUARREL
The deceased's relatives said they were unaware of any previous disagreement between Mike and the suspect.
According to Peter Adum, Mike was known to be friendly and jovial and had reportedly interacted cordially with residents of the estate.
The relative also said the deceased had been working around the estate for about two months and was not known to be a troublesome person.
“He was a lovely person,” Adum said, describing Mike as someone who enjoyed interacting and joking with people around him.
The family also said the suspect's wife, who remained at the residence after the incident, indicated that she was unaware of any previous dispute between the two men.
A GRADUATE WITH PLANS FOR THE FUTURE
Mike's death has been particularly painful for his family because he had only recently completed his university education.
He studied Guidance and Counselling at Benue State University, after previously attending the Benue State College of Education.
According to his relatives, he had just graduated and was looking forward to beginning the next stage of his life, including the National Youth Service Corps programme.
Before his death, he was reportedly working as a housekeeper and caretaker of a property within Bluestone Treasure Estate for a real estate company. His duties included maintaining the property and preparing it for prospective clients and inspections.
His relatives said he also had personal plans, including getting married and establishing a small business.
Those plans were abruptly cut short by the fatal confrontation.
POLICE TAKE OVER INVESTIGATION
Following the incident, the matter was reported to the police.
Initial reports gave differing accounts of the suspect's movements after the alleged assault. A later report quoting the family said police eventually arrested Adebiri after he reportedly went to a lawyer's residence. Another earlier report also stated that the case had been transferred to the Ogun State Police Command headquarters in Eleweran, Abeokuta.
The family said an autopsy form had been obtained and that an autopsy was expected to help establish the cause and circumstances of Mike's death.
The investigation is expected to determine what exactly transpired between the two men, the nature of the injuries sustained by Mike and the circumstances surrounding his death.
FAMILY DEMANDS JUSTICE
For Mike's relatives, the tragedy represents the sudden destruction of a young man's future.
His family has called for the authorities to thoroughly investigate the matter and ensure that anyone found responsible is dealt with according to the law.
The circumstances surrounding the case have also generated concern about the dangers of allowing disagreements involving children, neighbours and personal boundaries to escalate into physical violence.
Mike's relatives maintain that whatever disagreement occurred between the two men should have been resolved without violence.
As the police investigation continues, the family is awaiting the outcome of the forensic and legal processes surrounding the death of the 38-year-old graduate.
Mike Oje's story has now become a painful reminder of how a seemingly ordinary interaction can spiral into a fatal confrontation—and of the importance of allowing the law, rather than personal violence, to resolve disputes.
