A purported soldier allegedly stabbed a 27-year-old trader to death over a carpet price dispute in Akure, the Ondo State capital, on Saturday.

The incident, occurring around the Arakale area of Akure metropolis, resulted in the blocking of major roads by some upset traders and associates of the deceased.

According to an eyewitness named Chibuka, the altercation began when the deceased intervened to stop the man from assaulting a fellow trader, who happened to be a nursing mother, over the price of a carpet.

“The customer suddenly dismounted, brandished a dagger, and stabbed the deceased in the stomach,” Chibuka recounted.

The victim collapsed while the assailant fled upon realizing the severity of the situation.

Confirming the incident, the State Police Public Relations Officer, SP Funmilayo Odunlami-Omisanya, stated that the deceased’s body had been taken to the morgue and that the police were collaborating with military authorities to apprehend the culprit(s).

However, reactions poured in from various quarters, with some expressing outrage at the alleged actions of the soldier and questioning the professionalism of the military. Others called for justice and awaited further directives from the presidency.