A 23-year-old Nigerian man, John Temitope Onetufo, has been stabbed to death in the United Kingdom.
According to the United Kingdom Metropolitan Police, the stabbing incident occurred on New Year’s Eve in the Lewisham area of London. Police disclosed that officers were alerted to the incident at about 12:35 pm.
The police stated that when emergency responders arrived at the scene, Onetufo was found with stab wounds to the chest and was immediately treated. Despite the efforts of paramedics, he was pronounced dead at the scene.
In a statement, the police said they were called at around 12:35 hours on Wednesday, December 31, following reports of a fatal stabbing in Grove Street, Lewisham. Officers attended the scene alongside the London Ambulance Service and London’s Air Ambulance, where a 23-year-old man was treated for a stab wound to the chest. He was later identified as John Temitope Onetufo from Deptford.
The statement added that two suspects, a 17-year-old boy and a 23-year-old man, were arrested on January 2 in connection with the incident.
Detective Chief Inspector Samantha Townsend, who is leading the investigation, appealed to members of the public with useful information to come forward. She assured that the police would ensure those responsible are brought to justice.
Townsend said her team had worked relentlessly in recent days to pursue every line of enquiry and confirmed that two arrests had been made. She described this as a significant development but noted that the investigation remains ongoing as police work to establish the full circumstances surrounding the incident.
She also extended her deepest sympathies to Onetufo’s family and friends, stating that the police remain committed to finding answers and ensuring justice is served.
The incident highlights the ongoing problem of knife violence in the UK, which has claimed the lives of several people, including Nigerians.
On August 6, 2025, a 60-year-old Nigerian woman, Nkiru Chima, was found dead with multiple stab wounds in her apartment in Romford. The Metropolitan Police said it received a distress report from the British Transport Police, and upon arrival at the apartment, officers discovered her lifeless body with multiple stab wounds.
